New research has found police are more likely to press sex assault charges if the alleged victim did not drink alcohol or wear provocative clothing at the time of the offence.

The Charles Sturt University Graduate School of Policing interviewed 125 New South Wales detectives about their attitudes to sex assault victims and their attackers.

The research was designed to analyse the impact of so-called "rape myths" on police force training and procedures.

The study's author, Jane Goodman-Delahunty, says she found detectives who were told the victim was dressed provocatively or had drunk alcohol judged the woman to be more responsible for the assault.

"What that did was it influenced the likelihood that the police officers would pursue the charges," she said.