NCJ Number
185214
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 6 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2000 Pages: 1109-1136
Date Published
October 2000
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This study examines the role of client-related characteristics in the legal processing of sexual assaults.
Abstract
Data were collected from the hospital and legal records of 187 women who presented to a sexual assault treatment center and the police of a large Canadian city in 1994. Cases involving older women and women who did not physically resist the assailant were less likely to have resulted in a charge. However, women who were known to the assailant for more than 24 hours (including current or previous partners) were more likely to see their cases forwarded for prosecution. Cases involving clients who were women of color, were married or cohabiting, were unemployed, had adult or child sexual and/or physical abuse or mental health histories, were drinking or using drugs, had engaged in risk-taking behaviors or did not report the assault promptly to the police were as likely as not to result in a charge and conviction. Only a few of the client-related characteristics examined were related to progress of sexual assault cases in the criminal justice system. There is a need for more research into the factors affecting the attrition of sexual assault cases at key decision making points. Tables, notes, references