Is She a Good Muslima? The Impact of Hijab (Head Covering) on Muslims’ Evaluations of a Rape Incident

This research examines how Muslim women and men evaluate a rape incident based on whether the victim wore hijab. While Western research has extensively examined victim’s dress, the impact of religious dress codes like hijab remains unknown. Hijab mainly symbolizes sexual modesty for Muslim women, and its perceived importance is likely influenced by two sociocultural norms dominant in Islamic cultures, namely honor norms and religious fundamentalism. Results from an experimental study with 623 Muslim adults (287 women, 336 men) residing in the United Kingdom found support for our preregistered hypothesis that both women and men blame the victim who did not wear hijab more than the victim who wore hijab. Also as hypothesized, men, compared to women, attributed more blame, were less certain that the incident was rape, and held the perpetrator more criminally liable. Greater endorsement of honor norms was related to higher victim blame, lower certainty of rape judgment, lower criminal liability, and less punishment for the perpetrator. The discussion highlights the importance of a scientific understanding of rape culture in Muslim communities.