NCJ Number
144624
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1993) Pages: 254-270
Date Published
1993
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Using a contemporary sample from the National Crime Victimization Survey for the years 1987-90, this study examined the factors related to the police-reporting behavior of rape victims.
Abstract
The impetus for the study was the recognition that despite widespread rape reform laws, the pivotal point at which formal sanctioning begins is the reporting decision made by a rape victim. The sample consisted of 235 females older than 12 years who reported a completed or attempted rape. Rape incidents that involved multiple offenders or that occurred outside the United States were excluded from the analysis. The results indicated that victims were significantly more likely to report a rape if the offender had used physical force and if the victim had received medical attention for injuries sustained during the commission of the crime. Although the pertinent analyses approached significance, findings also indicated that, unlike the findings of earlier studies, victims were not more likely to report a rape if the perpetrator was a stranger or if the victimization occurred away from the victim's home. Tables, notes, and 38 references (Author abstract modified)