NCJ Number
54371
Date Published
1977
Length
255 pages
Annotation
A SUBSAMPLE OF 242 FEMALE RAPE VICTIMS DRAWN FROM THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY WAS USED TO DESCRIBE THE EVENTS THAT OCCUR IN THE RAPE PROCESS.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS NOT TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSES OF RAPE, BUT RATHER TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE RAPE VICTIMIZATION PROCESS. ANSWERS TO SEVERAL QUESTIONS SOUGHT INCLUDE WHO ARE THE POTENTIAL RAPE VICTIMS, WHAT SETTINGS POSE THE GREATEST DANGER, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN THE RAPE SITUATION, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE INJURY, WHAT MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN BY VICTIMS TO NEUTRALIZE THE ATTACK, AND HOW CAN VICTIMS INTEGRATE THE RAPE EXPERIENCE INTO THEIR LIVES? A VARIETY OF STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES WAS USED TO ANALYZE DATA IN THIS STUDY, AND AMONG THEM WERE CROSS-TABULATION, CHI-SQUARE, MULTIPLE REGRESSION, AND PATH ANALYSIS. IT WAS FOUND THAT FAMILY INCOME WAS SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO RISK OF A RAPE CONFRONTATION. AS ONE'S INCOME DECREASED, THE LIKELIHOOD OF RAPE INCREASED. HOMEMAKERS WERE FOUND TO BE TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE VICTIMIZED THAN WERE WORKING WOMEN. THE RISK OF RAPE CONFRONTATION PEAKED BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 34. ISOLATED FEMALES RAN THE GREATEST RISK OF RAPE, AND NIGHTTIME INCREASED THAT RISK. ALMOST ONE-HALF OF THE RAPES IN THE SAMPLE OCCURRED IN AREAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IN AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONFRONTATION ITSELF, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CHARACTER AND MOTIVES OF THE OFFENDER AND THEREFORE, THE BEHAVIOR OF THE OFFENDER, HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VICTIM. LITTLE WAS FOUND IN THE WAY OF INFORMATION THAT COULD HELP VICTIMS MINIMIZE OR NEUTRALIZE THE ATTACK. FINALLY, IT WAS FOUND THAT VICTIMS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN PREVENTING FURTHER ATTACKS THAN IN PRESERVING OR REGAINING THEIR INTEGRITY. TABLES, FLOW CHARTS, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (MLC)