From myth to reality: sexual image abuse myth acceptance, the Dark Tetrad, and non-consensual intimate image dissemination proclivity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite media attention on non-consensual intimate image dissemination (NCII), the literature on the personality traits, attitudes, and beliefs that predict NCII approval, enjoyment, and perpetration is limited. With a sample of 810 undergraduate students, we examined the relationship between dark personality traits, acceptance of image-based sexual abuse-related myths, and NCII. We found that 48.2% of our participants did not oppose NCII perpetration, 71.4% did not oppose NCII enjoyment, and 97.8% did not oppose NCII approval. Moreover, we found that being a man, heterosexual, and scoring higher in dark personality traits predicted acceptance of Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA)-related myths. In turn, accepting such myths predicted not opposing NCII proclivity. Our results underscore the importance of demystifying technology-facilitated sexual violence and promoting educational material that highlights lived experience and dispelling IBSA-related myths. PRACTICAL IMPACT STATEMENT This article may assist educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in designing strategies for the prevention of non-consensual intimate image dissemination (NCII) perpetration by explaining how acceptance of image-based sexual abuse myths, personality traits, and demographic characteristics are related to the willingness to accept, enjoy, or engage in NCII perpetration.