Rape Culture and Candidate Selection in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election

During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, violence against women was salient in the narratives surrounding both major party candidates: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. These discussions surrounding violence against women reflect a cultural ideology that excuses and/or supports such violence. This study aimed to understand the function of politics, particularly presidential campaigns, voting behavior, and candidate selection on perceptions of rape culture. Data were collected from two different samples: pre- and postelection from a medium-sized university. Results demonstrated differences between the samples on perceptions of rape culture as well as differences within the postelection sample based on candidate selection.