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Causes Of Fear Of Crime

Decent Essays

Gilchrist et al (1998, pg283) explains that the fear of crime has become a phenomenon and one that will be discussed within this journal review exploring whether or not women’s fear is rational or not. McLaughlin (2001) cited in Kinsella, C (2005) defines fear of crime as ‘…a rational or irrational state of alarm or anxiety engendered by the belief that one is in danger of criminal victimisation’. Campbell (2005, pg120) explains that due to social political mobility, women’s fear of rape is heightened, thus women are dependent on men to protect them from other men, however, it has been shown that family members and close friends are normally the rapists. Alongside this, Campbell (2005, pg121) continues to explain that through a criminological and victimological viewpoint, the institutional, political and cultural surroundings additionally express that women are more at risk than men. The British Crime Survey contributes further evidence of women being assaulted by men they know as the survey showed that 32% of women were sexually assaulted by a partner compared to 8% by strangers.
Gilchrist et al (1998, pg284) explains that with a low crime threat, women still have an irrational response. However, feminist writers explain that this could be due to the fact that women suffer sexual harassment and have less control over their space than men do, thus the higher fear levels. Furthermore, Gilchrist (1998, pg285) tells us that women are ‘are not hysterically overreacting to a

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