Is Women’s Fear of Crime Fear of Sexual Assault? A Test of the Shadow of Sexual Assault Hypothesis in a Sample of Swedish University Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 511-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Mellgren ◽  
Anna-Karin Ivert
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
University Students ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Fear Of Rape ◽  
Shadow Of Sexual Assault

Prior research shows that women’s higher fear of crime compared with men can largely be explained by women’s fear of rape. Whether women’s higher fear can also be explained by fear of nonviolent sexual harassment has not been explored. This study tested the shadow of sexual assault hypothesis in a sample of almost 3,000 Swedish university students. Our results confirm previous tests of the shadow thesis on the effect of fear of rape. In addition, we show that fear of sexual harassment also explained differences in fear between men and women. Based on the findings, we recommend that strategies to reduce sexual violence should focus on the entire continuum of violence against women.

Unraveling the Determinants of Fear of Crime Among Men and Women in Istanbul: Examining the Impact of Perceived Risk and Fear of Sexual Assault

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 993-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mine Özaşçılar ◽  
Neylan Ziyalar
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
University Students ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Aggravated Assault ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Shadow Of Sexual Assault

Studies have examined university students’ fear of crime focusing on the relationship between the fear of sexual assault and fear of other crimes, termed the shadow of sexual assault hypothesis; however, no study to date has examined the shadow thesis in a Turkish context. Drawing on the shadow thesis, using a sample of 723 university students in Istanbul, this study focuses on the effect of fear of sexual assault and perceived risk of crime to general fear of crime among university students in Istanbul. Also, the predictors of fear of crime are explored to examine the relationship between lifestyle characteristics, constrained behaviors, and fear. The findings of the study supported the shadow thesis, indicating that fear of sexual assault shaped the nonsexual crimes, especially crimes involving face-to-face confrontations between the victim and offender. Furthermore, lifestyle characteristics are correlated with the men’s fear of nonsexual crimes, particularly fear of robbery, aggravated assault, and burglary home.

An Examination of the Shadow of Sexual Assault Hypothesis Among Men and Women in South Korea

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaeyong Choi ◽  
Haneul Yim ◽  
Daniel R. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Crime Victim ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shadow Of Sexual Assault

Using a South Korean sample from 2010 National Crime Victim Survey, the current research examined the gender differences of fear of four different types of crime testing the shadow of sexual assault thesis, which asserts that sexual assault operates as a master offense for females. The current study provides insight into the robustness of the shadow hypothesis by controlling for various covariates (e.g., perceptions of the neighborhood and crime-related media consumption) that have been often omitted in this line of literature. Results show that the largest difference in fear between males and females was the fear of sexual assault, and based on coefficient comparison tests, fear of sexual assault was a stronger predictor of fear of other crimes among males than among females. The current study calls for future research to disentangle the shadow of sexual hypothesis in different settings and to conduct more studies specifically on men’s fear of crime.

scholarly journals Assessing the Effects of Myths about Sexual Aggression on the Verisimilitude of a Victim-Complainant of Sexual Assault

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yurena Gancedo ◽  
Jéssica Sanmarco ◽  
Adriana Selaya ◽  
Andrea González-Dapía ◽  
Mercedes Novo
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Field Study ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Sexual Aggression ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Standard Of Proof ◽  
Provocative Clothing

Sexual violence against women is one of the most underre­ported criminal offences, and has one of the lowest con­viction rates. The main standard of proof is the victim’s-complainant’s testimony and the evaluation of credibility. In order to assess the effects of myths about sexual aggres­sion on the credibility of women and their testimony, a field study was performed. The study consisted of 353 par­ticipants (235 women), aged 16 to 72 years, who evaluated the credibility of a testimony of a victim-complainant of sexual assault where the type of narrative was manipulated (neutral, provocative clothing, and alcohol consumption), and responded to a measure of the acceptance of myths about sexual aggression. The results revealed the type of narrative had no effect on the evaluation of testimonial credibility, but an effect was found in the factors gender, and myths about sexual aggression. Succinctly, men con­ferred less credibility to a victim’s-complainant’s testi­mony (i.e., less victim-complainant honesty, and testimo­nial credibility), whilst attributing less responsibility to the aggressor-defendant. However, both men and women equally attributed responsibility to the victim-complainant for the sexual assault. Moreover, individuals sanctioning myths about sexual aggression attributed less honesty and credibility to the victim-complainant, and their testimony, whilst attributing less responsibility to the aggressor-de­fendant, and more to the victim-complainant. The impli­cations of the results on judgement-making are discussed.

Gender, Racial Threat, and Perceived Risk in an Urban University Setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 612-639
Author(s):  
Shannon K. Jacobsen ◽  
Jody Miller ◽  
Ntasha Bhardwaj
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Disadvantaged Community ◽  
Perceptions Of Risk ◽  
Urban University ◽  
Gender Similarities ◽  
Fear Of Rape ◽  
Shadow Of Sexual Assault

Objectives: We provide new insights about the role of gender, race, and place in perceived risk and fear of crime and discuss the possible boundaries of the shadow of sexual assault thesis, which attributes women’s higher levels of fear to their underlying fear of rape across a variety of ecological contexts. Method: Analyses are based on data from in-depth qualitative interviews with 34 undergraduates attending a diverse urban university in a highly disadvantaged community in the northeast. Purposive and theoretical sampling strategies were used, and thematic saturation was achieved. Results: We find striking gender similarities in students’ perceptions of risk and fear of crime in this particular context. Specifically, both women and men drew on their perceptions of disorder in the community when defining the threat of victimization, which they believed was robbery committed by the city’s African American male residents. Conclusions: The gendered shadow of sexual assault was surprisingly absent from students’ discussions, suggesting that it may not be as universal across context as previous research suggests. We argue that microlevel contexts and methodological factors may shape the shadow’s presence, nature, and strength in gendered fear and perceived risk.

scholarly journals Brutal Harassments against Woman in Last Decade

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 107-109
Author(s):  
S Vidya
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Sexual Slavery ◽  
The World ◽  
The Status ◽  
Forced Prostitution ◽  
Women In India ◽  
Status Of Women

Women are facing serious insecure circumstances in today’s society. Women are being subjected to various sexual harassment like Rape and murder, sexual assault, acid throwing, war rape, sexual violence, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, woman trafficking, and so on. Despite all available strict laws made by the legislature for preventing this violence, it remains pervasive through out the world. Even when stringent punishment were given in these cases, such barbaric activities against women are continuously happening every day in some place in our nation. Every woman who comes out of her home faces any one form of harassment stated above. This paper aims to explore the status of women in India in the last decade. It recollects some of the brutal and aggravated incidents of harassment against women in our country. The paper concludes with a message “Violence against women must never be excused and never be tolerated. Every woman must be respected and protected. It is the responsibility of every human being to STOP SEXUAL HARASSMENT.”

scholarly journals #MeToo and Google Inquiries Into Sexual Violence: A Hashtag Campaign Can Sustain Information Seeking

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051986819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle R. Kaufman ◽  
Debangan Dey ◽  
Ciprian Crainiceanu ◽  
Mark Dredze
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
The United States ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
The Media ◽  
Talk Show Host ◽  
Google Search

The #MeToo Movement has brought new attention to sexual harassment and assault. While the movement originates with activist Tarana Burke, actor Alyssa Milano used the phrase on Twitter in October 2017 in response to multiple sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Within 24 hours, 53,000 people tweeted comments and/or shared personal experiences of sexual violence. The study objective was to measure how information seeking via Google searches for sexual harassment and assault changed following Milano’s tweet and whether this change was sustained in spite of celebrity scandals. Weekly Google search inquiries in the United States were downloaded for the terms metoo, sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and rape for January 1, 2017 to July 15, 2018. Seven related news events about perpetrator accusations were considered. Results showed that searches for metoo increased dramatically after the Weinstein accusation and stayed high during subsequent accusations. A small decrease in searches followed, but the number remained very high relative to baseline (the period before the Weinstein accusation). Searches for sexual assault and sexual harassment increased substantially immediately following the Weinstein accusation, stayed high during subsequent accusations, and saw a decline after the accusation of Matt Lauer (talk show host; last event considered). We estimated a 40% to 70% reduction in searches 6 months after the Lauer accusation, though the increase in searches relative to baseline remained statistically significant. For sexual abuse and rape, the number of searches returned close to baseline by 6 months. It appears that the #MeToo movement sparked greater information seeking that was sustained beyond the associated events. Given its recent ubiquitous use in the media and public life, hashtag activism such as #MeToo can be used to draw further attention to the next steps in addressing sexual assault and harassment, moving public web inquiries from information seeking to action.

Sexism, Moral Disengagement, and Dark Triad Traits on Perpetrators of Sexual Violence Against Women and Community Men

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107906322110516
Author(s):  
María Patricia Navas ◽  
Lorena Maneiro ◽  
Olalla Cutrín ◽  
José A. Gómez-Fraguela ◽  
Jorge Sobral
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Moral Disengagement ◽  
Ambivalent Sexism ◽  
Dark Triad ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Sexist Attitudes

The field of criminal psychology involves delving into psychological profiles prone to accepting and justifying sexist attitudes that support sexual violence against adult women (SVAW). The aim of the current study is to analyze the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationships between dark triad personality traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) and ambivalent sexism in a sample of 74 male perpetrators of sexual violence against women ( M = 40.58; SD = 10.05) convicted of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault and 160 community men ( M = 43.54; SD = 10.63). Since there were no significant differences in the measured variables between individuals convicted of IPV and those convicted of sexual assault, these two groups were combined into a single group of perpetrators of sexual violence against women. A comparison of incarcerated and community men showed that perpetrators of sexual violence against women reported significantly higher levels of ambivalent sexism, moral disengagement, and psychopathy than community men. The moderated mediational model showed that the dark triad was not directly associated with ambivalent sexism, but the relationship was fully mediated by moral disengagement mechanisms. Moreover, the interdependence of the variables evaluated was moderated by group. The moral disengagement mechanisms that explain both hostile and benevolent sexism were associated with Machiavellianism and psychopathy among perpetrators of sexual violence against women, whereas among community men, these mechanisms were associated with Machiavellianism and narcissism. These findings are discussed as they pertain to the treatment of perpetrators of sexual violence against women.

What Is the Attraction? Pornography Use Motives in Relation to Bystander Intervention

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (20) ◽  
pp. 3071-3089 ◽  
Author(s):  
John D. Foubert ◽  
Ana J. Bridges
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Bystander Intervention ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Behavioral Variables ◽  
Lower Likelihood ◽  
Willingness To Intervene ◽  
Pornography Use

Use of pornography is common among adolescents and young adults, with most men and a growing number of women viewing regularly. A vast body of research suggests pornography use is associated with multiple attitudinal and behavioral variables. One of those associations, for both men and women, is higher pornography use is correlated with a lower likelihood of intervening to prevent sexual assault. The present study explored how motives for viewing pornography related to male ( n = 139) and female ( n = 290) college students’ willingness and efficacy to intervene to help prevent a sexual assault from occurring. We found that several motivations to view pornography were associated with suppression of willingness to intervene as a bystander, even after controlling for frequency of pornography use. This study joins others in suggesting an association between pornography use and callousness toward sexual violence.

When Sexism Cuts Both Ways

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 524-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda L. Russell ◽  
Debra Oswald
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
University Students ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Benevolent Sexism ◽  
Predictor Variables ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Sexist Attitudes ◽  
Sexual Harassment Myths

This study explored whether tolerance of sexual harassment of men (TSHM) is driven by a common set of sexist ideologies typically found to be related to tolerance of sexual harassment of women. University students ( N = 433) completed a modified version of the Sexual Harassment Attitude Scale (SHAS) designed to measure TSHM. Predictor variables included sexual harassment myths about women, modern sexism, hostile, and benevolent sexism toward men and women and participant gender. A factor analysis of the measure revealed two reliable factors (sexual harassment as flirtation and minimization of victimization). With the exception of benevolence toward women, men scored higher on all measures of sexism and TSHM, yet correlational patterns showed a similar trend among men and women, suggesting a shared ideological belief that justifies TSHM. Despite differences in participant sex on most measures, participant sex was not a significant moderating variable in regression analyses when examining factors relating to TSHM. These results provide support that tolerance of sexual harassment is driven by a common set of sexist attitudes.

scholarly journals A Two-Year Experience of Gender-Based Violence at a Pioneer One Stop Crisis Center: Sukoon

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 172-180
Author(s):  
Sunil Gambhir ◽  
Akash Deep Aggarwal ◽  
Aatika Mahajan ◽  
Ritu Setiya
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
One Stop ◽  
Gender Based

This paper examines violence against women, with a special focus on domestic violence, along with sexual violence and sexual assault, in multidimensional perspective for the period of two years so as to understand its magnitude and its impact on the rights of women in the northern part of India. Among all such cases, there were 57.2% cases of domestic violence, 20.3% cases of sexual violence and sexual assault, 17.8% cases of attempted poisoning, 1.5% cases of homicidal burns, and 1.2% cases of attempted suicide. The greatest number of cases was recorded during the spring, followed by summer. It was observed that the greatest number of cases (60.24%) was recorded under the homemaker (housewife) category of women followed by the working category (26.80%). The greatest number of cases is seen in the age group of 20 to 30 years (42.77%), followed by the age group of 30 to 40 years (23.49%). A slightly higher number of cases (51.20%) was reported from rural areas. The greatest number of cases was recorded under the domestic violence category. The second highest percentage of cases reported involved sexual violence and sexual assault. The greatest number of married cases had a duration of zero to ten years (43.37%), followed by the unmarried category (19.87%). With reference to duration of violence, the greatest number of cases is seen in the age group of zero to six months (32.53%). The greatest number of cases is seen under the no child category (40.96%). Regarding the alleged perpetrator, the greatest number of cases is seen under the husband category (23.79%), followed by unknown category (22.28%).

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