NCJ Number
213486
Journal
Sociological Spectrum Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 2006 Pages: 205-236
Date Published
March 2006
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed the influence of a number of dimensions of gender inequality, including socioeconomic, legislative, political, and extra-legal dimensions, on female homicide victimization rates for 217 United States central cities.
Abstract
The findings support the feminist ameliorative hypothesis by indicating a decreased homicide victimization risk for women living in cities where women are more equal to men in education, income, and employment. Women also face less lethal violence victimization risk in cities that have more legislative safeguards protecting women’s rights. Other results revealed that the only traditional correlate of homicide that had a positive impact on female homicide victimization was the divorce rate, which is consistent with previous research findings. Data were drawn from the United States census and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) Uniform Crime Reports for 217 central cities of the United States for the years 1989 through 1991. Variables under examination included percent of population African-American, percent in poverty, percent of 18-year-olds living in 1-parent households, unemployment rate, ratio of female to male college completion, number of Planned Parenthood offices per number of women ages 15 through 44, number of abortion providers, sex discrimination law, number of males per 100 females in the population, and female mayor among others. Data were analyzed via structural equation modeling techniques. Follow-up studies should include more detailed measures of community-level legal resources and criminal justice practices. Tables, figures, footnotes, references