The criminal victimization of children and women in international perspective

Jan van Dijk

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterScientificpeer-review

    5 Citations (Scopus)
    497 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Abstract In this article we will present an overview of the results of the national
    and international crime victims surveys regarding the distribution of victimization
    according to age and gender with a focus on violent crime. The results show a
    consistent inversed relationship between age and criminal victimization by all types
    of crime. Children are by far the most at risk to be victimized by criminal violence
    of all age groups. The violence is in large part committed by parents or
    other caretakers. The relationship between gender and victimization is less straightforward.
    Men are more exposed to various types of non-sexual violence by
    strangers, including homicide. Women are more exposed to sexual violence. Exposure
    to non-sexual violence by intimates is less strongly gendered than
    sexual violence by intimates according to the results of dedicated surveys on
    domestic violence among males and females. Cross-national analyses suggest that
    violence by intimates against females is most prevalent in countries where gender
    equality is low. However, self-reported victimization rates of violence against
    women by intimates are also relatively high in countries where gender equality is
    the highest, such as Scandinavian countries. This paradoxical result seems due to
    increased sensitivity to acts of less serious violence among female respondents in
    the latter countries. The various findings concerning the distribution of victimization
    risks across age and gender are interpreted with lifestyle-exposure theory
    and feminist perspectives on violence.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationWomen and children as victims and offenders - Background, prevention and reintegration
    Subtitle of host publicationSuggestions for succeeding generations (Vol1)
    EditorsHelmut Kury, Slawomir Redo, Evelyn Shea
    Place of PublicationSwitzerland
    PublisherSpringer
    Pages405-427
    Number of pages22
    VolumeVOL 1
    ISBN (Print)9783319083988
    Publication statusPublished - 2016

    Keywords

    • victimization survey
    • Women
    • CHILDREN
    • International

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