Overcoming Rape: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Psychological and Physical Health Functioning of Male Survivors.

When examining sexual assault, men are often hidden from the literature. The current study employed a mixed-methods, convergent parallel design to examine the experiences of 22 male survivors of sexual assault (mean age = 44.19, SD = 13.28, range 18-65; 91% European American; 50% heterosexual). Survivors were administered an online survey using quantitative and qualitative questions to assess rape myths, gender roles, self-esteem, self-efficacy, resiliency, coping, overall mental and physical health, and diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and sexual dysfunction. Three key themes emerged from the integration of quantitative and qualitative data: (a) Help is Elusive, (b) Internal Struggles and External Strengths, and (c) Living with Clinical Diagnoses. This study adds to an important area of the literature that increases understanding of men's experiences with sexual violence and honors the voices of these survivors.

"It's Your Own Fault": Factors Influencing Victim Blaming.

This study examined the association between victimization and victim blaming using a sample of n = 142 participants in a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with the influence of subject gender, victim stereotyping level, threat level, and victim gender for victim blaming. Belief in a just world was included in the model as a covariate. Mediation analyses were conducted with the degree of identifiability with the victim and attitudes toward traditional role models as explanatory approaches. In addition, acceptance of rape myths was considered. The GLMM analyses suggest that victim blaming by male subjects was significantly higher on average than by female subjects when all other predictors were held constant. As an explanatory approach for these effects of the subjects' gender on victim blaming, partial mediation was found with the degree of identification with the victim as a mediator. No main effects were found for the other influencing factors, but only a statistically significant three-way interaction. This indicates a differential effect of the level of stereotyping for male and female victims in conditions that end in high threat. The finding of the main effect of subjects' gender seems to be particularly important for the legal system, as it appears to make a difference in who is asked in terms of victim blameworthiness. This finding highlights the importance of considering a victim's personal characteristics and the need for future research with an additional focus on the characteristics of the sentencers to help clarify potential biases.

Social Connections as a Protective Factor for Sexual Violence-Related Attitudes.

Endorsing problematic sexual violence-related attitudes including rape myth acceptance (RMA), hostile sexism, and disapproval of sexual consent is associated with negative outcomes, including the perpetration of sexual violence. This study examined social connections as a protective factor for sexual violence-related attitudes among a sample of 770 participants. Results indicate that in the full sample, connections to a workplace were protective for RMA and hostile sexism while family connections were protective for disapproval of sexual consent, RMA, and hostile sexism. Patterns of other social connections differed in separate models for men and women. Unexpected findings indicating that connections to a religious social group are a risk, not a protective, factor are discussed.

Jurors' perceptions of transgender victims of sexual assault: A literature review of empirical research and policy review of judicial instructions.

Sexual assault affects many people of all gender identities, yet most cases do not result in conviction. This may be due to common, inaccurate misperceptions juries hold about how sexual assault is perpetrated and how victims respond to sexual assault. Research has examined misperceptions relating to cisgender victims, yet little is known about the unique misconceptions and stereotypes that may unfairly disadvantage transgender victims or whether courts are attempting to safeguard against them. This article presents a literature review of empirical research on (mock) jurors' perceptions of transgender victims and a review of judicial instructions about gender identity. We find that empirical research is extremely limited with mixed findings, but many jurisdictions allow for judicial instructions warning jurors against prejudice based on gender identity. Further research is urgently needed to identify common misperceptions jurors may have that are specific to transgender victims to inform legal safeguards and improve justice outcomes.

Development of a Measure of Anti-Rape Attitudes as a Potential Protective Factor Against Rape Perpetration.

The role of attitudes toward women and sexual violence in predicting men's perpetration of rape has been well documented in the literature. While research on rape perpetration has primarily focused on identifying risk factors, the limited understanding of protective factors has hindered the development of psychometric measures to assess attitudinal protective factors. However, comprehending these protective factors is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the risk of rape perpetration and the advancement of strength-based approaches. This research describes the development of a new scale designed to measure anti-rape attitudes (ARA) in young heterosexual men. To generate the initial item pool, relevant information was gathered from sexual violence support service websites and academic literature. This item pool underwent an external expert review for further item generation and cognitive interviews for content validation. This qualitative phase was followed by four quantitative studies for item reduction and scale validation. The resulting 19-item scale demonstrates good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .84). The ARA scale exhibits strong negative correlations with rape myth acceptance (RMA) and hostile sexism, and strong positive correlations with positive consent attitudes (PCA), supporting the scale's construct validity. We further conducted hierarchical regression analyses to test the unique relationship of ARA with those constructs while controlling for RMA. These showed that ARA have significant, unique associations with PCA and ambivalent sexism. The development of this new scale enables a more comprehensive assessment of the risk of rape perpetration and opens up new avenues for research on protective factors against rape. Ultimately, this study constitutes an important step toward fostering strength-based approaches to combat sexual violence.

Rape Myths and Verdict Systems: What Is Influencing Conviction Rates in Rape Trials in Scotland?

The Scottish verdict system includes three verdicts: 'guilty', 'not guilty' and 'not proven'. Politicians propose that the three-verdict system is partially to blame for the low conviction rate of rape, whereas research suggests that rape myths may be having a larger impact. To test the effects of varying verdict systems (guilty, not guilty and not proven; guilty and not guilty; a series of proven and not proven verdicts) and rape myths on juror verdicts. A total of 180 participants answered questions regarding their acceptance of rape myths using the Acceptance of Modern Myth and Sexual Aggression (AMMSA) scale. They then watched a staged rape trial filmed in a real courtroom and reached a verdict. Participants also provided longer-form answers on which thematical analysis was conducted. The main findings are as follows: (1) The special verdict system leads to a higher conviction rate than the other systems when rape myth acceptance is controlled for. (2) The higher the rape myth acceptance, the more favourably the accused was perceived and the less favourably the complainer was perceived.

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics, Gender Perceptions, and Rape-Related Beliefs of People Assessed for Criminal Liability for Rape Against Children and Adults. / Çocuga ve Eriskine Yönelik Tecavüz Suçu Nedeniyle Ceza Sorumlulugu Degerlendirilen Kisilerin Klinik Özelliklerinin, Toplumsal Cinsiyet Algilarinin ve Tecavüze Iliskin Inançlarinin Karsilastirilmasi.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the criminal, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, paraphilic behaviors, sexual attitudes, gender perceptions, and rape-related beliefs of people assessed for criminal liability for rape against adults and children. METHOD: The study compared 40 people investigated for criminal liability for rape against an adult (RAA) with 40 individuals investigated for criminal liability for crime of rape against a child (RAC), and 43 age, sex and education matched individuals without any sexual crime history using the Structured Clinical Interview form for DSM-5 disorders, Hendrick Brief Sexual Attitude Scale, Gender Perception Scale, Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. RESULTS: All participants were male. There was no difference between the groups in terms of lifelong or existing psychiatric diseases. All participants had full criminal responsibility during the crime. No participant in any group was diagnosed with a paraphilic disorder. It was determined that people in both RAC and RAA groups tended to use sexuality as a tool, paid less attention to birth control methods, had a far less egalitarian perception of gender, and their myths about rape were significantly higher compared to the control group. The control group was much more impulsive than the sex offenders. CONCLUSION: Our results show that the act of sexual assault should not be explained only by impulsivity or psychiatric disorders, and that gender perception and sexual myths may also be influential. The fact that all individuals had full criminal responsibility emphasizes the need for more research on the social and cultural origins of sexual violence.

Exploring the Underlying Constructs of Rape-Related Cognition Scales and Their Relationships With Sexual Aggression.

Rape-related cognitions (typically defined as encompassing any number of cognitive constructs) are thought to play a role in sexual aggression. However, rape-related cognition scales often assess these cognitive constructs as one. The purpose of this study is to explore the factor structure of these measures using a sample of 191 community men. We found that items from the Rape Myth Acceptance, RAPE, and Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance (IRMA) scales formed one factor, which was significantly related to sexual aggression. We further found that four and six IRMA subscales were significantly related to past and likelihood of sexual aggression, respectively. Additionally, one IRMA subscale was independently related to past and likelihood of sexual aggression. The results are discussed in terms of implications and direction for future research.

Rethinking sexual violence labels: exploring the impact of 'victim' and 'survivor' discourse.

Background: Universities' responses to sexual violence have faced scrutiny for their lack of proactiveness and their failure to address campus socio-cultural norms that contribute to rape myth acceptance. The labels victim and survivor play a crucial role in shaping attitudes toward sexual violence, but there is limited research on how university students perceive these labels.Objective: This paper explores sexual violence labels and their role in perpetuating rape culture. Undergraduate university students' beliefs on using the label survivor instead of victim to describe someone who has experienced sexual violence were examined to consider how these labels create societal discourse on sexual violence.Method: The study draws on qualitative data collected from undergraduate students in Canada and the United States through open-response questions in an interactive textbook. Data were analysed and interpreted using a multi-method approach that combined principles of Critical Discourse Analysis and Feminist Poststructuralism. Direct quotes and word clouds from participants' responses are used as evidence and to visually display discourse.Results: Findings revealed that participants recognised the negative societal discourses associated with the label victim and supported using survivor to challenge perceptions of sexual violence. Despite this, participants expressed hesitancy to adopt the label survivor because of the potential negative implications, such as the label promoting the allocation of individual blame, increasing barriers to justice, and reducing the perceived severity of sexual violence.Conclusions: This study underscores the complexities of sexual violence labels, the influence of language in shaping societal perceptions, and the need for a more comprehensive and equitable approach to responding to sexual violence.

Dichotomy of Labels and Nuanced Perceptions: Sexual violence labels shape identity perceptions. Participants dichotomised the labels victim and survivor, associating one with negative attributes and the other with positive attributes. However, nuanced views of how people perceive and identify with these labels challenge distinct categories. Victims being negatively perceived, while survivors are admired for their resiliency highlights complexities in societal expectations that may not fully address the underlying determinants of sexual violence.Role of Language in Reproduction of Rape Culture: Poststructuralist theories emphasise the role of language in the production and maintenance of discourse. The study shows that victim discourse is steeped in rape myths. The historical discourse surrounding the label may contribute to the perpetuation of negative attitudes and behaviours toward victims of sexual violence. The emergence of the label survivor reflects a societal shift, but findings suggest this may lead to societal complacency towards sexual violence.Spectrum of Severity and Societal Empathy: Participants' understanding of sexual violence as a spectrum of severity may lead to unequal levels of empathy and support. This discourse creates positions of dominance and oppression, potentially marginalising certain groups who are disproportionately affected by sexual violence. The study highlights how severity discourse can influence institutional agendas and may result in political and institutional neglect of sexual violence.

Measuring Electronically Shared Rape Myths: Scale Creation and Correlates.

Increased access to information online (e.g., social media) provides opportunities for exposure to rape myths (i.e., false beliefs about incidents of sexual assault). Social media, in particular, may serve a critical role in shaping rape culture. Thus, it is important to identify ways to assess online exposure to rape myths, especially given the influence online exposure may have on offline behaviors. Data were analyzed from 2,609 18-25-year-old participants (mean age = 20.9 years; 46.1% male; 71.6% White) recruited in 2017 through social media to complete an online survey on experiences and perceptions of sexual violence. We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA, CFA) to evaluate the relatedness of nine items adapted to reflect rape myths posted by friends on social media. We split the sample into training (50%) and testing (50%) sets for the EFA and CFA, respectively, then evaluated the correlation between experiences of sexual violence, substance use, and social media use and exposure to online rape myths. Eigenvalues (1-factor: 5.509; 2-factor: 0.803; 3-factor: 0.704; 4-factor: 0.482), factor loadings, fit statistics (RMSEA: 0.03; CFI: 0.99; TLI: 0.99; SRMR: 0.057), interpretability, and existing theory supported a 1-factor solution, which was supported by CFA fit statistics (RMSEA: 0.021; CFI: 0.99; TLI: 0.99; SRMR: 0.038). Cronbach's alpha of the nine items was .77. Greater exposure to online rape myths was associated with greater likelihood of attempted rape perpetration (ß = .052, SE = .016, p < .005), rape victimization (ß = .045, SE = .009, p < .005), use of illicit drugs (ß = .021, SE = 0.008, p < .05), being male (ß = .017, SE = .008, p < .05), and being younger (ß = -.008, SE = .002, p < .005). Our findings support assessing exposure to online rape myths, which may be important for informing sexual violence prevention and intervention efforts.

The Impacts of Conservatism, Social Dominance, and Rape Myth Acceptance on Blame Attribution in Ambiguous Rape Scenarios.

Participants (N = 496) reviewed an ambiguous rape scenario involving a "perpetrator," either in a high or low authority position, and a "victim," who had or had not consumed alcohol. They indicated whether they viewed what happened as rape, and rated the perceived responsibility of the individuals involved. They also completed Conservatism and Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA) scales. Most believed the scenario to constitute rape. Perpetrator responsibility ratings were highest in the high-authority condition, and victims were assigned greater responsibility when they had consumed alcohol. Those who scored higher on the Conservatism/RMA scale attributed less responsibility to the perpetrator and more responsibility to the victim across all conditions.

The Relationship Between Rape Myths, Revictimization by Law Enforcement, and Well-Being for Victims of Sexual Assault.

Relationships between rape myths, revictimization, and postassault well-being were examined in a sample of adult victims of sexual assault (n = 88). Correlation, multiple regression, and path analyses investigated whether conformity to stereotypes of "real rape" or "real victim" was associated with revictimization and well-being. A possible mediating effect of revictimization on the relationship between rape myth conformity and well-being was assessed. The relationship between specific revictimization behaviors and emotions was also analyzed. Questioning victims' resistance to the assault was correlated with revictimization emotions. "Real victim" characteristics were associated with well-being, but no mediating effect of revictimization was observed.

Developmental Considerations in How Defense Attorneys Employ Child Sexual Abuse and Rape Myths When Questioning Alleged Victims of Child Sexual Abuse.

Myths and misconceptions surrounding the nature of sexual assault play a role in shaping the perceptions of victims as credible and perpetrators as culpable. Defense attorneys often capitalize on myths in court as an element of their defense strategies. Researchers have established that myths about both rape generally, and child sexual abuse (CSA) specifically, appear with regularity in criminal trials of children who have made an allegation of CSA. Yet no work has systematically and quantitatively examined the impact of a child's age on the probability that attorneys will ask a myth-consistent question in criminal trials of CSA. In the current study, we examine 6,384 lines of questioning across 134 criminal trials of CSA to assess whether defense attorneys employ developmentally sensitive strategies when asking children questions that draw upon myths about sexual violence (CSA myths: disclosure myths, extent of harm, a child's positive relationship with their perpetrator, and the presence of witnesses; Rape myths: force and resistance, motives to lie, victim precipitation, and character issues). We found that attorneys did not vary their use of CSA myths by the age of the child. However, the probability that a child would receive a rape myth-consistent line of questioning, increased with a child's age. This work suggests that attorneys are, at times, strategic in their use of myths and employ these adult rape myths in ways that are plausible, purposeful, and likely impactful. The strategic use of these questions may acknowledge young children's limited development but may place too great a demand on older children's developmental capacities. Prosecutors should be prepared to counterquestion these myths in redirect examination.

Metaanálisis de generalización de la fiabilidad de los mitos de violación / Meta-analysis of reliability generalization of the rape myths

Resumen Los mitos de violación son actitudes y creencias generalmente falsas, amplias y persistentes, acerca de la violación, la víctima y el agresor, que son utilizadas para negar o justificar la agresión sexual hacia las mujeres. En las últimas dos décadas, los instrumentos más utilizados para medir este constructo corresponden a la escala de aceptación de mitos de violación de Illinois (IRMAS), que utiliza expresiones directas y explícitas mediante un lenguaje clásico, y la escala de aceptación de mitos modernos de agresión sexual (AMMSA) que usa un lenguaje sutil, indirecto y moderno. Se realizó un metaanálisis de generalización de la fiabilidad de 69 estudios empíricos que utilizaron alguna de las dos escalas de mitos de violación. El objetivo fue estimar la fiabilidad media de las puntuaciones combinadas de las escalas IRMAS y AMMSA para obtener un valor aproximado de su fiabilidad general y evaluar el posible efecto moderador de algunas variables de interés. El promedio de la fiabilidad por consistencia interna de las puntuaciones de las escalas para las 98 muestras estudiadas fue de .85, IC95 % [.84, .86]. Se observó una alta heterogeneidad (I. = 96 %), y el número de ítems es la única variable moderadora que explica significativamente la variabilidad de la fiabilidad observada. Estos resultados muestran que ambas escalas presentan índices de consistencia interna aceptables en sus diversas aplicaciones. Por lo tanto, las medidas de aceptación de mitos de violación cumplen con los criterios de fiabilidad adecuados para ser utilizadas en investigaciones empíricas en distintos contextos.

Abstract Rape myths are widespread and persistent attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes, usually false, about rape, the victim, and the perpetrator. Their function is to deny and justify sexual assaults against women, affecting the victim's attributions of responsibility and the perpetrator's attributions of guilt in rape cases. These myths exert a bias in the processing of information, directing attention and perception toward stimuli that justify the victim's responsibility for sexual aggression. These beliefs can be grouped into several types of myths: Myths that hold the victim responsible by arguing that women should be careful and not expose themselves to avoid sexual aggression, myths that justify and reduce the responsibility of the aggressor by stating that the man could not contain his sexual desire and those myths that deny or normalize sexual aggression, which propose that rape occurs only in very specific contexts. In the last two decades, the instruments most commonly used to measure these beliefs are The Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (IRMAS), which uses direct and explicit expressions through classic language, and the Modern Sexual Assault Myth Acceptance Scale (AMMSA), where its expressions are modern, subtle and indirect. Considering the wide use of these instruments, it is justified to provide empirical evidence showing information on the psychometric properties of these scales. One of the procedures for synthesizing empirical results is meta-analyses (MA). This methodology can synthesize studies of specific variables and analyze the psychometric properties of the measurement instruments, providing relevant information on the quality of a given scale. Within this last type of RM are reliability generalizations (RG), those that study the reliability coefficients obtained in different applications of a scale, providing evidence on the properties of the measures used in measuring a construct. A meta-analysis of the RGs of 69 empirical studies that used any of the rape myth scales was performed. The objective was to estimate the mean reliability of the combined scores of the IRMAS and AMMSA scales to obtain an approximate value of their overall reliability and to assess the possible moderating effect of some variables of interest (e.g., research design, culture, sample type, etc.). The mean internal consistency reliability of the scale scores for the 98 samples studied was .85, 95 % C.I. [.84, .86] and the mean coefficient for each of the IRMAS and AMMSA scales was .84 and .85 respectively. All these values are above .80, a value established as satisfactory reliability of the instrument for general research. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients reported by the studies ranged from .71 to .98, with values considered moderate to excellent. These results show that both scales present acceptable internal consistency indices in various applications. There is high heterogeneity (I. = 96 %), with the number of items being the only moderating variable significantly explaining the observed reliability variability. This result was to be expected, given that the effect of test length on the estimation of reliability indices has a long tradition and is widely known in the psychometric literature.

Masculinity Threats Sequentially Arouse Public Discomfort, Anger, and Positive Attitudes Toward Sexual Violence.

Three experiments (N = 943) tested whether men (but not women) responded to gender threats with increased concern about how one looks in the eyes of others (i.e., public discomfort) and subsequent anger that, in turn, predicted attitudes about sexual violence. Consistent with predictions, for men, learning that one is like a woman was associated with threat-related emotions (public discomfort and anger) that, in turn, predicted the increased likelihood to express intent to engage in quid-pro-quo sexual harassment (Study 1), recall sexually objectifying others (Study 2), endorse sexual narcissism (Study 2), and accept rape myths (Study 3). These findings support the notion that failures to uphold normative and socially valued embodiments of masculinity are associated with behavioral intentions and attitudes associated with sexual violence. The implications of these findings for the endurance of sexual violence are discussed.

Everyday Sadism as a Predictor of Rape Myth Acceptance and Perception of Harassment.

The #MeToo movement has stressed the need to understand why individuals who witness sexual violence may or may not take action. However, prevention programs usually fail to address the association between personality traits and attitudes, perception, and behavior in the context of sexual violence. To improve prevention programs' effectiveness, it is vital to understand how personality traits might interfere with willingness to engage in bystander intervention. This study aims to explore the relationships between Everyday Sadism, perception of harassment, Rape Myths and gender in a sample of 177 participants recruited online. Analyses revealed significant gender differences, with men endorsing more Rape Myths, perceiving less harassment, and being more sadistic. Gender and everyday sadism emerged as significant predictors of perception of harassment. In the case of Rape Myths, age emerged as an additional predictor. These results have several implications, ranging from expanding our knowledge of the influence of everyday sadism on factors known to modulate bystander behaviors as well as informing and shaping the development of prevention programs.

Male Victims of Sexual Assault: A Review of the Literature.

Compared to female rape victims, the literature addressing male rape victims remains a growing area of interest for counselors and scholars. This article aims to review the growing literature on male sexual assault victims. Specifically, the review will examine the literature on male victims of sexual assault in nine sections: (a) an overview of male sexual assault, (b) male rape myths, (c) prevalence, (d) responses to male victimization, (e) populations and perpetrators of male victimization, (f) risk factors, (g) reporting, (h) the impact of sexual assault on men, (i) help-seeking, and (j) implications for counseling. Empirical studies, case reports, and books are included in the review.

Modern Rape Myths: Justifying Victim and Perpetrator Blame in Sexual Violence.

Rape myths are beliefs, stereotypes, and attitudes usually false, widespread, and persistent about rape, victims, and perpetrators. They aim to deny and justify men's sexual assault against women. This study evaluates the mediating effect of modern rape myths on the relationship between gender system justification and attribution of blame to both victim and perpetrator in a fictional case of sexual violence. A total of 375 individuals residing in Chile, 255 women and 120 men, 19-81 years (M = 37.6 SD = 13.06) participated in the study. Results from a Structural Equation Model show that gender system justification is directly related to the attribution of blame to the victim, showing an indirect relationship throughout the modern rape myth. However, gender system justification and attribution of blame to the aggressor are indirectly related, being mediated by modern rape myths. The study of the relationship between the acceptance of modern rape myths, gender-specific system justification, and victim and aggressor blame for rape is a contribution to understanding beliefs justifying sexual violence against women.

A Qualitative Investigation of Service Providers' Experiences Supporting Raped and Sexually Abused Men.

Substantial gaps remain in our understanding of the risks and barriers that exist for men affected by rape and sexual abuse. The present research utilized semi-structured interviews with 12 service providers from specialist organizations in the United Kingdom. An interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed three superordinate themes: (a) survivors' needs for agency, safety, and control as functions of their masculinity; (b) the impact of rape myths and their challenge to therapeutic intervention; and (c) survivors' expectations around reporting and the police. The role of masculinity and social stigma permeated participants' accounts, with negative stereotypes and male rape myths influencing reporting, access to services, and survivors' coping mechanisms. Results are discussed in relation to current service provision within the United Kingdom, and avenues for improvement are suggested.

Myths and Misunderstandings About Child Sexual Abuse in Criminal Investigations.

Researchers have established that rape myths shape perceptions of victims and perpetrators in criminal cases. Researchers have devoted less attention to exploring the impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) myths in court. While we know that jurors believe myths and misconceptions about the nature of CSA, no work has explored how these myths appear during the prosecution of CSA cases. The purpose of the present investigation was to assess how defense attorneys apply myths more specific to CSA in the questioning of children testifying about alleged CSA. The present study compliments and expands upon a previous study by St. George and colleagues (2021a), where authors examined the use of rape myths in the questioning of children making allegations of CSA. In the current study, we examined testimonies of 122 children testifying in criminal cases of alleged CSA in the United States. We qualitatively coded 6,384 lines of questioning for references to CSA-focused myths related to the disclosure process, witnesses and privacy issues, assumptions of harm, and the child's positive relationship with the perpetrator. These myths were common, occurring in over 10% of defense attorneys' lines of questioning. Disclosure issues were the most frequent, followed by witness and privacy issues, assumptions of harm, and the child's positive relationship with their perpetrator. In many cases, attorneys employed different strategies across child's age to highlight these myths. These findings compliment those of prior work suggesting that CSA myths, much like rape myths, are appearing with regularity. Defense attorneys are likely capitalizing on jurors' misconceptions to undermine children's believability.