NCJ Number
93437
Date Published
1981
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This article summarizes a variety of victimization data on women from the National Crime Survey program. The analysis indicates that while most victims are attacked by offenders similar to themselves, women are more likely to be victimized by men than by other women.
Abstract
The National Crime Survey interviewed 22,000 respondents from 26 cities across the nation. Data show that men are subject to personal crimes of theft at a rate about 25 percent higher than women and to violent crime at nearly twice the rate suffered by women. The only exceptions to this general pattern are that crimes of theft with contact are slightly more likely to be committed against women and that rape victimization statistics are dominated by women. White and black women experience equivalent levels of victimization, but blacks more often suffer violent crimes, while white women are subject to more personal property crime. There is considerable difference in crime data from one city to another. Based on the survey's mid 1970's data, women should be cautious about living in Boston, Minneapolis, San Francisco, or Portland. A separate set of data on rape indicates that women living alone, unemployed women, poor women, and blacks are more likely to suffer this crime. Only 56 percent of the rape victims reported the crime to the police. White victims and victims of strangers were more likely to report than others. In evaluating their experience with police, rape victims had far more negative responses than did other victims. The situation of women in the United States resembles the classical state of minority group oppression. Although criminal justice system administrators have learned that it is advisable to use minority officers to deal with minority group members, only in special rape investigation units are there a preponderance of women. One note, 17 references, and 9 tables are included.