The Alas Debate Annex

(This post is available on both “Alas” and “TADA.” No anti-feminists¹ in the comments on “Alas,” please.)

On Yahoo Answers, I stumbled across this, which was part of a lengthy anti-feminist rant:

As most of us on here already know, the famous “1 in 4 women will be raped” claim is false. This comes from a study conducted by Ms. Magazine. They hired psychologist Mary Koss to direct the study. No scientific or scholarly organization was associated with the study.

I wrote a response, but before I could post it, the question I was responding to was deleted — presumably because it wasn’t really a question so much as an editorial.

But since it’s frustrating to write a response and then not be able to post it… well, what else is a blog for?

1. Koss’ study found that 1 in 4 college women surveyed have experienced rape and/or attempted rape at some point in their life. Not that “1 in 4 women will be raped.”

2. Koss designed her survey independently of Ms Magazine, and published a non-national version of the study in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1982.² This was three years before Ms. Magazine became involved. Ms. Magazine first became associated with the study in 1985, when they published an article about Koss’ work.

In 1986, Ms. Magazine donated office support to help make a national version of Koss’ already-existing methodology possible. In 1988, Ms published a book, I Never Called It Rape, reporting on Koss’ findings. And that is the extent of Ms’ involvement. Ms Magazine never “hired” Mary Koss. Koss was neither employed nor paid by Ms Magazine at any point.

3. Koss’ work was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)., not by Ms. Magazine. The NIMH approved of the entire design of the study, including Ms Magazine’s participation (which was strictly limited to office support). The study was then put through the peer-review process before being published in a scientific journal (The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology v 55 (2) p. 162-170, 1987). So your claim that “No scientific or scholarly organization was associated with the study” is inaccurate.

1. Including MRAs and including the folks from the “feminist critics” blog.
2. “Sexual experiences survey: A research instrument investigating sexual aggression and victimization.” The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology v.50, p. 455-457. 1982.