The Same But Not Equal? How the Homicide Victim’s Age and Gender Influence the Investigator’s Involvement in the Case

Despite attempts to rectify the injustices experienced by victims of sexual violence within the criminal justice system, unfounded rates for sexual violence remain high and many victims continue to feel disempowered and voiceless. In this context, police officers wrestle with how to support victims, while protecting those who may be falsely accused and grappling with deeply imbedded cultural beliefs about who constitutes a “true” victim. In the current article, we draw on interviews with officers working in Internet Child Exploitation, sex crimes, and child abuse units across 10 Canadian police service organizations to understand how police interpret and respond to child, youth, and adult victims of sex crimes. We unpack the range of interpretations of victims, explore if and how interpretations of victims translate into police perceptions of their interactions with victims, and their interpretations of the possible outcomes that can be offered in the investigation. We highlight the difficulties officers encounter as they strive to balance their occupational role with victims’ needs. We argue that police interpretations of sexual violence and sexual violence victims are shaped by the officer’s adherence to or rejection of understandings of the “ideal victim”.

The experience of adolescent victims of commercial sexual exploitation in the United States: a qualitative systematic review protocol

This study investigated the influence of communicator (child victim) and perceiver (adult participant) characteristics on expectations about witnesses' emotional displays during testimony. In total, 191 adults were asked whether or not they expected child victims who were testifying about sexual abuse to display sadness, fear, anger, disgust, happiness, or a neutral demeanor, and how intensely the adults expected each emotion to be displayed. In describing the victims, child age (5 vs. 13 years old) and child gender (female vs. male) were factorially combined as within-subject factors. Results included that victim gender predicted expectations of fear, and victim age predicted expectations of anger and disgust. There was a significant interaction of victim age and victim gender for expectations of sadness. Of participants who expected multiple emotions, a combination of negative and neutral emotions was expected more from 13-year-old female victims than from 5-year-old female victims. Child victim empathy predicted ratings of how intensely sad and fearful the child victim would look. Implications of these findings for psychological research and the legal system are discussed.

Sexual offences against children: An exploration of attrition in the Northern Ireland criminal justice system

This study aims to determine and analyze the application of the principle of simple justice Rapid Simple Fee in the criminal justice system in the State court of Pati. As well as to identify and explain the barriers and solutions simple application of the principle of justice Rapid Simple Fee in the judicial system in State court of Pati. And to identify and explain the contribution principle is simple justice Rapid Simple Fee in the criminal justice system to reform the criminal justice system in the future. This study uses empirical juridical approach to analysis of the application of the principle of judicial issues simple, quick and inexpensive in the criminal justice system in the State court of Pati. Specifications research is descriptive analysis. With data collection techniques are primary and secondary data and research literature, analyzed using qualitative. The problem is analyzed with the theory of law enforcement and progressive legal theory. The results of this study showed that every judge shall comply with the laws that have been set ie power Act No. 48 of 2009 and Act No. 8 of 1981. Constraints in principle to simple justice Rapid Simple Fee is the human resources of the apparatus law enforcement, lack law enforcement and courtroom facilities, absence of the parties or witnesses. The solution is to determine the court calendar, giving sanction to the litigants or witnesses who have been called State court of Pati. Contributions in future expected law enforcement qualified for handling the case, mutual cooperation between law enforcement agencies and is able to imitate the criminal justice system in developed countries such as settling disputes out of court with mediation mechanism penal (penal mediation), restorative justice, diversion in juvenile justice and other forms that thrive in the community. It is considered necessary as part of the criminal law reform. Contributions in future expected law enforcement qualified for handling the case, mutual cooperation between law enforcement agencies and is able to imitate the criminal justice system in developed countries such as settling disputes out of court with mediation mechanism penal (penal mediation), restorative justice, diversion in juvenile justice and other forms that thrive in the community. It is considered necessary as part of the criminal law reform. Contributions in future expected law enforcement qualified for handling the case, mutual cooperation between law enforcement agencies and is able to imitate the criminal justice system in developed countries such as settling disputes out of court with mediation mechanism penal (penal mediation), restorative justice, diversion in juvenile justice and other forms that thrive in the community. It is considered necessary as part of the criminal law reform.Keywords: Principle of Simple Justice, Rapid Simple Fee In Criminal Justice System in Pati Court

According to the gender stereotypes attributed to men, and research on adult male victims, boys subjected to sexual abuse are expected to be better able to defend themselves than girls, and are thought to be more likely to adopt a proactive attitude in the victim–perpetrator relationship. They are consequently regarded as more blameworthy than female victims. In the present study, 384 French respondents read through a sexual abuse scenario in which the child victim's gender, perpetrator's gender and victim's age (7 vs. 12 years old) were manipulated. As expected, male respondents blamed the victim more than female respondents did, especially when the victim was a boy. Furthermore, male respondents blamed the perpetrator less than female respondents did, especially when the perpetrator was a woman and the victim a boy. However, these effects were observed for victims of both 7 and 12 years old while it was expected only for the 12-year-old victims. Finally, as expected, respondents who expressed a high need for closure perceived the victim as less credible and more guilty than respondents who expressed a low need for closure, particularly when the victim was 12 years old. This cognitive characteristic thus appears to moderate the expression of stereotypical representations.

This study aims to further our understanding of sexual victimization using the routine activities theory (RAT) framework. Specifically, this study compared offenders’ motivations as well as victims’ vulnerability, inertia, gratifiability, and accessibility in elder, child, and younger adult victims. The sample used in this study consists of 931 cases of extrafamilial sexual assaults that occurred in France. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the differences between the cases involving child (n = 193), adult (n = 500), and elder victims (n = 238). First, findings indicate that offenders do not present different motivations depending on the type of victim. Second, analyses suggest that child and elder victims presented similar patterns of suitability in comparison to adult victims. Finally, results show that for both child and elder victims, accessibility represents a major obstacle but manifested differently. Theoretical and practical implications as well as directions for future research are discussed.

The book contains insightful chapters on the concept of the 'ideal victim' in relation to, for example: hate crime victims generally; Muslim women who wear the veil; LGB/T women; female sex worker victims; migrants; survivors of childhood sexual abuse; victims of domestic violence; elderly rape victims; online fraud victims; and male prisoners as victims. The book explores, particularly, why too many victims of crime, and particularly too many female victims of sexual offending and crimes such as domestic abuse in its many forms, are treated as 'non-ideal' victims, and suffer a loss of dignity, respect, and any proper avenue to justice as a result.

Female sexual abuse and criminal justice intervention: A comparison of child protective service and criminal justice samples

Sodomy is anal intercourse between 2 men (homosexual sodomy) or a man and a woman (heterosexualsodomy) also known as buggery, when the passive agent is a child, sodomy is referred to as paederasty.This study sheds some light on one sensitive Egyptian issue, sodomy cases, with quantification of thedemographics and medico legal findings, related to female child and male cases presenting to Beni Suefgovernorate Forensic Medical Authority, Egypt, between 2011 and 2015. 51 cases of sodomy were analysed,the mean age of victims is 9.79 years in children and 24.30 years in adults. 74.19% of cases were malechildren while 85% were adult females. Cases occurred mainly in urban areas for both child (61.29%)and adult (55%) victims. Frequency of sodomy cases shows an ascending manner. Most child victims hadprimary education 77.42%, unlike 35% high education in adult victims. 96.67% of assailants had no relationto children, 50% were relative in adult cases. Multiple assailants were present in 13% of child victims,30% in adult victims. Physical force was the commonest in child 51.62% and adult 50% victims. assailantswere guilty in 54.84% of child victims, 50% in adult victims. Forensic examination of children took (2-5days) in 61.30%of child cases and (1-2 weeks) in 50% adult cases. Semen was detected in 19.35% ofchild cases and in 15% of adult cases. Genital Injuries were found in 45.16% of children and55% in adultcases. Rape accompanied sodomy in 19.35% of child cases and 25% of adult cases. Conclusion—theseanalyses demonstrate that the very low incidence may also suggest gross underreporting; making awarenessof importance of reporting of sexual offences is mandatory

Experiencing victimization in childhood increases risk of adulthood revictimization, and it is important to understand what may contribute to such risk. One factor that may help to explain the increased risk of future victimization is disclosure. However, the literature is mixed as to whether disclosure of prior victimization is helpful for protecting against adverse outcomes, and much of the research on disclosure focuses solely on sexual victimization. The current study examines the relationship between various forms of childhood and adulthood victimization and whether disclosure moderates this relationship. In addition, this study investigates whether characteristics of disclosure are associated with revictimization risk. The sample included 275 undergraduates (M age = 19.52 years; 75.6% female, 77.5% non-Hispanic White or Caucasian). Participants reported on previous history of various forms of childhood and adulthood victimization. They also reported whether or not they had disclosed childhood victimization, and, if so, characteristics related to disclosure. Results revealed that number of childhood victimization experiences significantly predicted number of adulthood victimization experiences, and nearly every type of childhood victimization significantly increased risk of experiencing each type of adulthood victimization. Disclosure did not moderate the relationship between childhood and adulthood victimization. Participants who disclosed were more likely to disclose crime and peer/sibling victimization and disclose to parents or friends. Positive reactions to disclosure were more common than negative reactions; however, 75% of disclosers received at least one negative reaction. Finally, revictimized individuals received more overall negative reactions than nonrevictimized individuals. They also received more reactions characterized by the person they disclosed to trying to take control of their decisions or treating them differently. Results highlight the importance of examining relationships between various forms of victimization, considering how characteristics of disclosure relate to risk of revictimization, and the importance of educating potential support networks about appropriate responses to disclosure.

Recognizing female-perpetrated sexual abuse: A vignette-based study on professional judgments.

In Child Victims and Restorative Justice: A Needs-Rights Model, Tali Gal aims to create a model for children’s rights in the legal system. Gal presents models that center on child victims’ rehabilitation and protection in a way that reveals the immense complexities of legal issues, psychological considerations, shortcomings of the criminal justice system, and even the limitations of restoration itself. Gal examines the models and works to establish a human rights discourse to use for children’s rights in the legal system, considering the rights of both child victims and child offenders. Gal’s main goal is to create a needs-rights model that will aid child victims throughout court process and continue through rehabilitation. The book is organized by examining children’s rights, child victims’ needs, child victims in the criminal justice system, restorative justice for child victims, and child-inclusive restorative justice. Gal also works to provide a framework for effective restorative justice by looking at successful experiences from different countries. Although researchers interested in adolescent development have long examined the nature of victimization, especially its effects (see Evans et al. 2012), how such research might find its way to influencing policy and the nature of adolescents’ rights largely has remained ignored. Gal provides an important model to follow. Significantly, Gal’s text does not relate directly to the adolescent period but greatly speaks to it and exemplifies how research can be used to develop thoughtful responses to victimized youth. The text does so particularly by examining the promises and challenges associated with restorative justice approaches that could serve as models to counter the inadequacies of systems responding to youths’ victimization. The text demonstrates well how the rights of children are difficult to define and implement in the legal system. While children are entitled to basic human rights like any other person, children cannot always exercise these rights. The power to exercise the child’s rights lies in the hands of the child’s parents, or in special circumstances, the state will step in as the role of the parent. Having the parents or the state act on behalf of a child raises the question of whether they are acting in the child’s best interest. Gal uses his background in working as a children’s rights lawyer to examine the shortcomings of the legal system in regards to how child victims and their families could exercise the rights of the child. Being considered a highly vulnerable population, children are entitled to having more protection in the legal system; however, that extra protection runs the risk of infringing on children’s rights. This concern for potentially infringing on children’s rights in the name of protecting them that led to the rise of restorative justice, which began to rise in popularity in the mid-1990s as an alternative or complementing process in the criminal justice system. While research has not fully focused on child victims, data exists showing successful experiences between children and restorative justice’s processes. That research serves as the foundation for the book. In the first chapter, Gal analyzes the effectiveness of his needs-rights model when used for children’s rights through the criminal justice system. Gal states that this needs-rights model and current rights rhetoric both empower children structurally and strengthen relationships. Interestingly, Gal recommends, ‘‘to educate children and adults on children’s rights and to fully respect the rights of the child, including the participation right’’ (Gal, 2011, p.13). To examine children’s right effectively; Gal looks at several discourses and discusses the importance of moving from needs versus rights to needs-rights based models. Gal’s reasoning for the

VioLit summary: OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article by Dee was to provide a comprehensive review of U.S. Court decisions relating to cases in which a child or young adult was victim of violence that was held to have been caused by mass media presentations to public of material that induced violent acts which had fatal or serious health consequences for plaintiffs in a broad range of court cases. METHODOLOGY: This article was a non-experimental review of literature. Beginning in early 1970s and continuing to present, there has been a periodic filing of suits against broadcasters, movie producers, rock musicians, game designers, and publishers for negligence specified in claims that children or adult plaintiffs (or parents of deceased children) had been killed or injured as a result of material instigated by a movie, an article, a recording, or a particular broadcast. In all, fifteen cases were summarized and each focused on an analysis of legal arguments used in case. The first six cases described situations wherein a party was harmed by a third party whose dangerous conduct was alleged to have been triggered by a media presentation. The subsequent nine cases analyzed cases where children or teenagers injured or killed themselves while acting out something they had purportedly read about, heard, seen on television, or played out during a game. The author provided legal definitions of negligence and incitement. Specifically, negligence was held to be the failure to use such care as a reasonably prudent and careful person would use under similar circumstances. It was noted that tort law governs court decisions on negligence and defendants are negligent if their conduct posed, unreasonable risks to others, as determined by judges or juries. With regard to incitement however, there has been some ambiguity as it was not defined in Constitution or any statute book. Incitement as a definition implied a significant probability of danger being intended by perpetrator. The legal charge of incitement had roots in a series of Supreme Court decisions interpreting First Amendment, and has come to be seen, along with libel, slander, perjury, obscenity, and fighting words, as an exception to First Amendment protections otherwise afforded as free speech and free press. FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: The overall review suggested that courts hesitate to hold media organizations accountable for inciting violent acts of specific individuals. Increases in number of cases coming to courts in 1980s were considered by author to be partly attributable to development of common law through test cases as well as an increased turning of individuals to courts for redress of grievances against media. Especially noteworthy was that all test cases involved children or young adults. The author noted that cases of media-incited violence among adults have been difficult to prove in aggregate, however children have provided a common grounds for rallying against social fears about harmful effects of media. For future, author concluded that a testing of media accountability may be part of a series of attempts to find direct and remediable solutions to problems of increased violence in our society. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by Center for Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of University of Colorado) KW - Literature Review KW - 1970s KW - 1980s KW - Media Coverage KW - Media Accountability KW - Media Violence Effects KW - Violence Causes KW - Victimization Causes KW - Case Studies KW - Criminal Justice System KW - Correctional Decision Making KW - Child Victim KW - Juvenile Victim KW - Adult Victim KW - Film Violence KW - Music Violence KW - Television Violence KW - Court Response KW - Justice System Response

Prior research suggests the media depict White female victims more sympathetically than their minority counterparts, yet no researcher has yet examined this proposition at the multivariate level. Moreover, prior research on media portrayals generally include White versus non-White or White versus Black comparisons, but no researcher has yet compared media accounts of White, Black, and Latina female victims. Based on critical race feminism, we expected news coverage of White, Black, and Latina victims to vary in key ways. We examined narratives at the bivariate and multivariate levels, and we contextualized findings with story excerpts. Stories about White female victims were more likely to contain sympathetic themes—such as themes of religiosity and reported media attention—and to result in overall sympathetic narratives compared to stories about minority victims, whereas overall narratives about Latina and Black female victims were often unsympathetic. Our findings align with the “ideal victim” stereotype and may help explain the differential treatment of White and minority female victims by the criminal justice system.