RAPE VICTIMOLOGY - PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE RESEARCH (FROM NEW AND THE OLD CRIMINOLOGY, 1978, BY EDITH ELISABETH FLYNN AND JOHN P CONRAD - SEE NCJ-47562)

• NCJ Number: 47575
• Author(s): L L HOLMSTROM; A W BURGESS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISED AND ABRIDGED VERSION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE ANNUAL MEETING, SESSION ON 'CRIME - WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW,' BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, FEBRUARY 23, 1976

Annotation

THE MAIN WAYS RAPE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN PORTRAYED IN CRIMINOLOGY, VICTIMOLOGY, AND SOCIOLOGY ARE REVIEWED, ALONG WITH NEWER, EMERGING THEMES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.

Abstract

ONE OF THE MOST PERVASIVE WAYS OF ANALYZING RAPE VICTIMS IN THE CRIMINOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL LITERATURE ON VICTIMOLOGY HAS BEEN THROUGH USE OF THE CONCEPT OF VICTIM PARTICIPATION OR PRECIPITATION. THIS CONCEPTUALIZATION WAS PROMOTED NOT ONLY FOR RAPE VICTIMS BUT ALSO FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME IN GENERAL BY IMPORTANT FIGURES IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE FIELD OF VICTIMOLOGY. HOWEVER, RESEARCHERS HAVE BEGUN TO RECONCEPTUALIZE RAPE. THEY HAVE QUESTIONED ASSUMPTIONS IN RAPE LITERATURE AND AS A RESULT NEW PERSPECTIVES ARE BEGINNING TO EMERGE. RATHER THAN CONTINUE TO 'BLAME THE VICTIM,' THEY ARE BEGINNING TO LOOK AT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SOCIAL PROCESSES AND VICTIMS, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE VICTIM, AND THE INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO RAPE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A CONTINUING INTEREST IN RAPISTS, BUT WITH A FOCUS ON ASPECTS THAT HAVE A PARTICULAR RELEVANCE FOR VICTIMS. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO A NUMBER OF EMERGING CONCERNS INCLUDING INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN VICTIM'S AND RAPIST'S PERSPECTIVES, THE ISSUE OF FALSE ACCUSATION BY WOMEN, THE UNDERLYING FUNCTION OF 'BLAMING THE VICTIM' (I.E., SOCIAL CONTROL), THE EXPERIENCE OF RAPE VICTIMS, RAPE PREVENTION, RAPE AS DEFECTIVE OR AS NORMATIVE BEHAVIOR, HOMOSEXUAL RAPE OF MALES, AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF VICTIMS IN THE SOCIOPOLITICAL-ECONOMIC CONTEXT. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (BAC)