NCJ Number
187417
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2001 Pages: 131-155
Date Published
April 2001
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study examines rural-urban differences in sexual victimization and reporting.
Abstract
The study analyzed data from Uniform Crime Reports (UCRs) and from rape crisis centers in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Although absolute numbers of sexual victimization cases reported to rape crisis centers were higher in urban counties, rates of sexual victimization were higher in rural counties, particularly those with above median proportions of female officeholders in the county. This effect was not related to the provision of victim services but could be related to a better-educated population being more likely to use such services. Urban counties and counties with higher levels of assaults by strangers had higher rates of reporting to the police, although these effects were somewhat qualified by an interaction of the two variables. The article suggests that the type of data source and the type of county have implications for understanding the occurrence and reporting of rape. Aside from these academic concerns, however, data source and type of county seem to have real-world consequences: they affect the allocation of resources to victim services. Tables, notes, references