Investigating Empathy and Attitudes Towards Sex Offenders in the UK

This research project investigates the relationship between empathy and attitudes towards sex offenders, comparing the perspectives of psychology students and the general British public. Utilizing a quantitative approach with SPSS analysis, the study examines existing literature, employs descriptive statistics (mean, mode, variance, standard deviation), and uses MANNOVA to analyze data. The findings suggest that psychology students generally exhibit more positive empathy and attitudes towards sex offenders, focusing on understanding the underlying reasons for their actions, while the general public tends to hold more negative views. The research highlights the underreporting of sexual offenses, particularly against women, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the psychological factors influencing attitudes towards sex offenders. The study concludes with recommendations for future research and interventions based on the identified differences in empathy and attitudes.