Compounding Prejudice? Investigating Canadian Mock Juror Perceptions of Victim Race and Work in the Sex Trade

Indigenous women and sex workers experience high rates of violence in Canada and are often blamed for their victimization. This jury simulation examined how victim race (Indigenous, White) and work in the sex trade (sex worker, non-sex worker) affected mock juror verdicts in a first-degree murder trial. Although victim race and involvement in sex work did not significantly affect juror verdicts, victim blame was affected by stereotypes about Indigenous women and sex workers, as well as negative attitudes about sex workers. Overall, these findings suggest perceptions of Indigenous women and sex workers affect victim blame; however, these perceptions are not directly related to verdict decisions.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Carleton University

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Knoop, Janelle Christine

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © 2019 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

10.22215/etd/2019-13708

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/40329