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
Benevolent sexists apparently consider that women need to adopt a more conservative attitude in order to avoid falling victim to rapists. The article focuses on an Australian research that was meant to analyze an acquaintance rape scenario and determine the impact that gender and victim stereotypes can have on such a case. The study generated information showing that society has a different understanding of victim stereotypes in comparison to gender stereotypes and that factors related to each of them can be altered with the purpose of making it possible for them to fit a particular
However, reports suggest that there has been a drastic reduction of such cases. In fact, statistical data in the United States indicates that the rate of murders of women has reduced by 43%. This means that the murders have decreased from 4.18 to 2.38 homicides per 100,000 female U.S residents. (Catalano, Smith, Snyder, & Rand, 2009). On the other hand, findings prove that women still remain at greater risk of being murdered in violent intimate relationships. Intimate partner homicide has declined significantly in the past 25 years. But these declines, while truly significant, mask the important fact that women are substantially more likely than men to be murdered by their intimate partner (Gannoni & Cussen, 2014, p.
According to UCR homicide data, in 2014, 77 percent of murder victims were male, while 22 percent were female (UCR Expanded Homicide Data Table 1, 2014). Relatedly, our society strongly warns individuals (especially females) of “stranger danger,” although the data show that offenders of crime are more likely to be people we know. In fact, strangers comprise only 11.5 percent of all homicide offenders, yet 43 percent of homicide offenders were people known to the victim (UCR Expanded Homicide Data Table 10,
Men who enter the criminal justice system are depicted by society as violent individuals rather than women who are often depicted as accomplices who are often times unaware of things happening around them. In a study conducted, it was found that “almost 13 percent of men were jailed on murder charges and 13 percent for rape or sexual assault, while 11 percent of female inmates were there on murder charges and 2 percent for rape or sexual assault.” This in many cases is tested to be true since men are more violent than men in nature and due to the fact that
Statistically women commit quite a bit less crime in almost every category especially violent crimes. Many people wonder why this is the case because we are all people and it shouldn 't matter that much. Though every year this doesn’t seem to change. So I will be discussing some of the reasons why this is the case in this paper and uncovering some causes.
(Torres, S. 1998) Research indicates that fear of crime, whether self-imposed or realistic, can immobilize individuals, harm the local economy and negatively impact social interactions as well as the quality of life (Albanese, 1990 Skogan (1987) argues that crime victims believe that more crime exists, are worried about victimization and attempt to protect themselves. Parker and Ray (1990) as well as Krannich et al. (1989) revealed victimization to be a predictor related to fear of crime. Additional support for these findings was provided by Smith and Hill (1991), who showed that actual victimization appears to increase fear of crime by increasing the perception of vulnerability. (Torres, S. 1998) Research also shows that fear of crime among minorities and those of lower socioeconomic status is related to their vulnerability in the urban environment (Liska et al., 1982). The elderly who are physically vulnerable and less agile are more fearful of crime even though they are less likely to be victims. (Torres, S. 1998) The proliferation and presence of gangs in the United States is also linked to the concept of social incivilities and increased fear of crime. This problem of fear does not go away. The people not only have a constant fear, it continues to the next generation of people in
This paper will attempt to analyze sociological factors, which explain societies propensity to treat women differently than men when they are accused of committing a violent crime, such as murder. Because we live in a male-dominated society it is believed that men commit most violent crimes. Some studies indicate that when a violent crime is committed by a man society has a more acceptable view of the offense. Because of gender stereotypes, women are judged more harshly by society than a man. Women are expected to follow normal behavior as ascribed by their societies current definitions of normal. Society views women as nurturers who are subservient to their husbands and devoted to their children (2008). The Andrea Yates case was chosen as the focus of this paper because it perfectly illustrates the impact of external and internal forces, which can drive a woman to commit a violent crime and societies reaction to those crimes.
There are several ways that fear of crime has a relationship with violence. In many communities have experience higher fear of crime levels? Franklin (2009) in his current research he tested the vulnerability of female and male to indicated if fear of crime was increase by age. In his finding this facts are significant since there is a higher level among age for males while females tend to reduce fear. Age also plays a big role when fear of crime is concern in the communities.
Many argue that the victim encourages the behavior, that they are somewhat lesser of a victim. On the other hand, some excuse away the female’s actions by using their past as a reason to offend. Before addressing the double standard society needs to understand why females are viewed as less dangerous, the negative impacts that are placed on their victims, and why male victims are often viewed as responsible for the rape. Danger Level Number of Offenders The most common and most obvious reason why female offenders are considered less dangerous that male offenders are the number of women who actually commit these crimes are far less than their counterparts.
The involvement of females in crime and as the committers of crime was once a rare phenomenon but in recent years a dramatic increase has been seen all over the world. In England and Wales statistics have shown between 1994 and 2006 female crimes have steadily increased and have since continued to do so (MOJ 2009). Many sociological explanations and interpretations have arisen to coincide this surge in female offending as to understand its recent development in society. This assignment will look at different feminist explanations and critically evaluate them and their value in understanding female crime.
Violence against women is very risky and is often prolonged. Among those who do contact the police, some may decide not to file charges against the attacker for many reasons. Financial threat; fear of further violence; and fear of losing the children, their home, employment or family are just a few. (Bostock, 2009) The mental strain and fear of
America’s “fear of crime” has developed an incarceration binge that has resulted in a disparity in America’s prisons, largely, affecting the underclass; dishonored groups caught in a symbiosis of the ghetto and prison, meaning, that ghettos have become more like prisons, and so undermined the inmate society, as such, turned prisons, more like ghettos; hence, developed a state wherein the criminal justice system is the instrument to control the poor (Wacquant, 2010). Inevitably, societal isolation, constraints the agency of the poor; their racial isolation develops environments, where residential instability, family disruption and economic inequality facilitate marginality, unequivocally deprecating poor minorities ' life chances. Largely, due to socioeconomic forces and manipulation of institutional arrangements by powerful elites, which in turn, perpetuate the inmate disparity. Thus, maintains the underclass caste, more succinctly, an American apartheid.
The aim of this essay is to compare, contrast and evaluate two sociological theories of crime causation and two psychological theories of crime causation.
Crime has always been a shadow upon societies image, these learned behaviors can be seen in all shapes and sizes, in the cities, in the streets and even in homes. The media has controlled the image of what is perceived as crime. But what truly stalks the streets at night, is it the sadistic men who care so little about human dignity they travel from coast to coast sexually assaulting women?
For most, knowledge on crime comes mostly through media outlets such as televised news, newspapers, radio and social media. Consequently, much of our understanding of crime is a direct representation of what is observed from the news. This can be reflected and reinforced through our norms and assumptions about crime, the perpetrators and victims. It is therefore important to discuss and understand how victims of sexual violence are portrayed in the news. According to the 2013 UK statistics on sexual violence, 474,000 adults have been victims of sexual assault with 404,000, a substantial 85% of these victims, identified as female (Home Office, 2013). Therefore, this discussion will focus on the representation of adult, female victims of sexual