Counselors exposed to 'sex trafficking' labels reported more victimization-oriented attitudes than counselors exposed to 'prostitute' labels¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2019 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Licensed counselors randomly assigned to the ATTS ('sex trafficking' labels) scored significantly higher overall on attitudes toward trafficked women than those assigned to the APPS ('prostitute' labels), t(394) = -6.952, p < .01. → Litam 2019 q3 i? The label difference held on all four attitude subscales (PNCV, PNND, PSCV, PSND), each significant at p < .01. → Litam 2019 (2)

Evidence¶

Litam 2019¶

Litam, S. D. A. (2019). She's Just a Prostitute: The Effects of Labels on Counselor Attitudes, Empathy, and Rape Myth Acceptance. The Professional Counselor, 9(4), 396-415. https://doi.org/10.15241/sdal.9.4.396

q3 · i? · causal · r2

Randomized survey experiment with 396 licensed Ohio counselors; 193 completed the APPS ('prostitute' labels) and 203 the ATTS ('sex trafficking' labels). The t-test showed "were significantly different" overall means, with the ATTS group higher (M = 3.80 vs 3.56).

"The overall mean scores between APPS (M = 3.56, SD = .427) and ATTS groups (M = 3.80, SD = .255), t (394) = -6.952, p < .01, were significantly different."

Litam 2019 (2)¶

Litam, S. D. A. (2019). She's Just a Prostitute: The Effects of Labels on Counselor Attitudes, Empathy, and Rape Myth Acceptance. The Professional Counselor, 9(4), 396-415. https://doi.org/10.15241/sdal.9.4.396

q3 · i? · causal · r?

Table 3 reports all four subscale t-tests as significant (e.g., PSCV: APPS M = 3.80 vs ATTS M = 4.33, t(394) = -10.697; PSND reversed direction, APPS M = 2.95 vs ATTS M = 2.79, t(394) = 4.50).

"Four additional t-tests determined significant differences existed between each of the APPS and ATTS subscales."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Attitudes and demographics predicted empathy in the prostitute-label group but not the trafficking-label group — related
• The type of label used (person-first, 'sex offender', diagnostic, or offence-specific) does not significantly affect public perceptions of individuals who sexually offend — related
• Counselors without prior training on prostitution/sex trafficking endorsed more stigmatizing beliefs and more rape myths — related
• Attitudes, gender, and age predict counselors' rape myth acceptance in both label conditions — related
• Male counselors reported more rape myth acceptance and lower empathy than female counselors — related
• Building Empathy Improves Intergroup Attitudes — related
• Prior evidence on whether labels change public perceptions of people with sexual offences is mixed, with some studies finding label effects and others finding none — related