Blaming the Victim: How Community Collectivism and Social Dominance Orientation Shape Attitudes Toward Sexual Harassment

Abstract

Victim-blaming in cases of sexual harassment remains a significant social problem, discouraging victims from reporting abuse and reinforcing harmful societal norms. This study investigates how community collectivism (CC) influences attitudes of victim-blaming and whether Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) mediates this relationship. Additionally, it explores whether gender moderates these associations. Using cross-sectional survey data from India and Mexico (N = 499), regression and mediation analyses were conducted to test four hypotheses. Results indicate that both CC and SDO are positively associated with victim-blaming: higher collectivist values and stronger beliefs in social hierarchies predict greater blame attribution to victims. Mediation analysis shows that SDO significantly mediates the relationship between CC and victim-blaming, suggesting that collectivist norms indirectly promote victim-blaming through legitimizing social inequality. Contrary to expectations, gender did not moderate any of the tested relationships. These findings highlight the psychological mechanisms by which cultural and ideological values shape responses to sexual harassment. They underscore the need for culturally sensitive interventions that address not only individual attitudes but also underlying belief systems that normalize inequality. This research contributes to a growing body of literature that seeks to understand the cultural and psychological mechanisms underlying victim-blaming and offers a framework for future, cross-cultural investigations.