Fear of sexual assault for oneself and others: A gendered perspective from five states

Abstract

The present study conceptualizes and investigates a combined measure of personal and altruistic fear of sexual assault. In addition to estimating the extent of this combined measure of fear of crime, the current research examines whether there is a gender gap in fear of sexual assault when considering fear of crime for both oneself and others. The known determinants of fear of crime (e.g., perceived incivilities, prior victimization) are also investigated as explanations of fear of sexual assault. Based on analyses of data from a random mail survey of respondents living in the Northwestern region of the United States, findings suggest that fear of sexual assault is generally higher for women than for men. Further, while women are significantly more likely to express fear for oneself and fear for others, some of the determinants of fear differ according to gender, including social disorder, prior victimization, age, and income.