NCJ Number
75122
Date Published
1980
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The probability of injury to rape victims was estimated based on a review of 814 rape and attempted rape cases occurring in Newark, N.J., over a 30-month period.
Abstract
The nature of injuries, the effects of victim age, prior visual contact with the offender, and resistance on injury rates; and offender characteristics were examined. Instrumental injuries occurred before the rape; noninstrumental rapes occurred after the rape was accomplished. Victims resisting rape were more likely to suffer instrumental injuries, while those who did not resist were more likely to suffer noninstrumental ones. Among victims resisting verbally, 85.4 percent of those injured suffered mild injuries while physically resisting suffered more serious injury more frequently. Victims offering no resistance were six times more likely to be seriously injured than victims who fought. Injury rates increased with age, as did the frequency of serious injury. Older victims may be more inclined to resist, and offenders may realize this and apply force more readily in larger amounts. Incidents where the victim had prior visual contact with offenders were more likely to provoke injury. Number of prior charges and incidence of prior lesser sex offenses were not related to victim injury; however, offenders who had been arrested at least once for larceny were more likely to inflict injury than those who had not. Study data are included, and four references are provided.