A new study from the Journal of Health Communication has confirmed to be true what you always knew during your deepest binge-watching sessions: Viewers of Law and Order are more likely to have healthier attitudes about consent.
Researchers surveyed 313 college freshmen and found that exposure to Law and Order “is associated with decreased rape myth acceptance and increased intentions to adhere to expressions of sexual consent and refuse unwanted sexual activity.” Though this doesn’t mean watching Law and Order specifically causes viewers to understand consent better, it does mean that those who do watch it have a higher likelihood of having healthy attitudes surrounding sex and consent.
Interestingly, a survey of viewers of other crime dramas like NCIS and CSI didn’t yield the same outcome. Watching CSI, for example, is associated with “decreased intentions to seek consent and decreased intentions to adhere to expressions of sexual consent.”
Just another reason to never date a CSI fan.