Stranger Rape Research Articles

Factors predicting conviction in child stranger rape

BackgroundPublic knowledge of child stranger rape is shaped largely by media portrayals of a small number of cases, often marked by sensational trials, which may result in juror misconceptions of this offense. It is important to understand the factors that may influence jury verdicts in order to maximize the chance of guilty defendants being convicted. ObjectiveThe aim is to explore the factors that predict juries’ decisions to convict or acquit in child stranger rape cases. Participants and SettingThe study utilizes a police database of recorded child stranger rape cases from a UK urban force from 2001–2015. Seventy cases that were tried by jury were analyzed. We investigated the extent to which 19 child-, accused- and offense-related factors predict jury verdicts. MethodsA four stage analytic process was employed: (a) Kendall’s tau-b measured inter-correlations among the factors; (b) Chi-Square and Welch t-tests measured associations between factors and verdicts; (c) binary logistic regression measured the power of factors in predicting verdicts; and (d) Stein’s formula was used to cross-validate the model. ResultsVerdicts were predicted by two offense-related factors. A weapon increased the odds of conviction by 412%. An outdoor location increased the odds by 360%. ConclusionsThe findings have potential implications for prosecution case building and courtroom policy. Prosecutors could gather as much information as possible from victims about the factors found to be of importance to juries. Judges could challenge incorrect beliefs and stereotypes by instructing juries.

An Experimental Investigation of the Perceived Credibility of Complainants of Sexual Revictimization: Disbelief and Victim-Blame.

This study investigated whether attitudes toward a complainant of sexual assault are affected by the knowledge that the complainant had previously made a similar allegation. This was a 3 (previous allegation; none, child sexual assault or adult sexual assault) × 2 (whether the previous allegation was substantiated) × 2 (the implied mental health status of the complainant; mental health issue vs. none) multifactorial, experimental study, employing independent-measures and hypothetical vignettes depicting stranger rape scenarios. The dependent variables were victim-blame and believability. The participants were 243 female undergraduate students. A multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) revealed several main and interactive effects. Allegations of sexual revictimization were associated with different levels of victim-blame and believability depending on when the previous assault occurred. A history of childhood sexual assault reduced the believability of the complainant and when combined with other factors increased the tendency to attribute victim-blame.

"As I Was Walking Down the Street, Four Strange Guys Came and Took Me Under the Bridge, Where They All Raped Me": An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Types of Rape Experienced by Men in South Africa.

Globally, rape is regarded as the most demoralizing type of trauma, and it has negative implications for victims and their families. Although rape affects the community in general, there is a paucity of literature on rape victimization of men. As a result, the types of rape experienced by them are not understood, and thus it is often difficult to develop contextually relevant interventions to prevent male rape and to support male rape victims. The objective of this study was to first determine and then describe, the types of rape experienced by men. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) qualitative approach was used to collect and analyze data from a purposive sample of 11 participants, using semistructured individual interviews. The findings of the study reveal six themes and related subthemes as six types and related subtypes of rape experienced by men as follows: acquaintance rape, including familial rape; stranger rape; gang rape, including corrective-gang rape, drug-facilitated gang rape, pack-hunting rape, women retributive rape (or women vengeance) for violence experienced from men; homophobic rape; prison rape, including transactional rape and gang initiation rape; and armed rape. The findings reveal the different contexts or settings where men are vulnerable to rape. This highlights the possibilities for the development of context-specific sexual violence prevention interventions for men, which include self-defense training and awareness campaigns specific to rape victimization of men. Furthermore, future studies are recommended to expose this pandemic. Activism is advocated to stop the silence around this public and social health issue.

Lethal combinations: A conjunctive analysis of crime scene behavior associated with sexual homicide.

This research investigates violent stranger rapes and the factors leading these cases to sexual homicides. Variables relating to modus operandi characteristics on one part and offender behavior on the other part are examined using conjunctive analysis of cases configuration to identify the different combinations leading to a lethal outcome. Using a French sample of 1263 cases of violent rapes and 303 cases of sexual homicides involving female adult victims, we find that blows given by offenders and information about physical resistance of victims are strongly associated intentional and non-intentional sexual homicides. Psychoactive substance consumption by offenders as well associal isolation are in a lesser extend also associated with the lethal outcome.

Linguistic Representation of Violence in Judicial Opinions in Malaysia

Violent behaviour is understood as being a social and unilateral action initiated by one party. It is social in nature as it occurs within an interpersonal context and unilateral per se because it involves action taken by one individual against the well-being of another. Judges use strategic discursive strategies to describe the accounts of the crime in their judicial decisions. This research aims to investigate the language used by judges to describe the accounts of rape in selected appellate judgments of sexual violence cases in Malaysia. Specifically, it aims to investigate the discursive strategies adopted by judges to reformulate the description of the crime. The findings revealed that violent, disapproving, sexual, and ambiguous terms were adopted. It was also revealed that the crime is often characterized as a non-coerced and mutually-consented behaviour rather than a criminal act. This results in minimizing the level of violence, the mitigation of offender’s responsibility, and the relegation of victim’s experience to the background. Another significant finding from this study is the issue of judges’ ‘interpretative repertoires’ in describing cases of sexual violence. We recommend for future studies to include a bigger sample size, as well as to study whether different rape categories namely acquaintance rape, incestuous rape, and stranger rape would reveal distinctive terms used for the respective rape types.

Factors Predicting Conviction in Stranger Rape Cases.

Background: Despite there being no legal distinction between different types of rapes (e.g., those committed by strangers to the victim versus those committed by perpetrators known to the victim), stereotypical beliefs about rape have meant that these can be treated differently by the justice system. The aim is to explore the factors that predict juries’ decisions to convict or acquit in stranger rape cases. Methods: We measured the importance of a range of 20 perpetrator-, victim-, and offense-related factors in predicting outcomes for 394 stranger rape cases tried by a jury. A four-stage analytic process was employed: (a) Kendall’s tau-b measured intercorrelations among the factors (predictors); (b) Chi-square and Welch t-tests measured associations between factors and verdicts; (c) binary logistic regression measured the power of factors in predicting verdicts; and (d) Stein’s formula was used to cross-validate the model. Results: Jury verdicts were predicted by five offense-related factors and one victim-related factor. None of the perpetrator-related factors were significant predictors of convictions for stranger rape. Conclusion: The findings have potential implications for victims of stranger rape, as well as prosecution and courtroom policy. We show that if a perpetrator is identified and charged, the likelihood of securing a conviction by a jury is high for victims of stranger rape. We suggest that prosecutors could gather as much information as possible from victims about the factors found to be of importance to juries, and judges could instruct juries on assumptions about the characteristics of the offense in order to challenge incorrect beliefs and stereotypes. Ultimately, this could be used to encourage victims of stranger rape to report and testify in court.

Can the offence behaviours of stranger rapists discriminate between UK and non-UK nationals

Purpose Currently, no research is available for behavioural investigative advisors’ to provide justifications to infer from the crime scene that an offender is a UK or non-UK national. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from National Crime Agency and consisted of 651 stranger rapes, 434 UK nationals and 217 non-UK nationals. All cases were coded for 70 offence behaviour variables. χ2 analyses were conducted to identify significant associations between offence behaviours and offender nationality. Significant associations were then entered into a logistic regression analysis to assess their combined predictive ability of offender nationality. Findings Analyses revealed 11 offence behaviours with significant associations to offender nationality: confidence, darkness, offender kisses victim, victim performs sex acts, requests sex acts, apologises, destroys forensics, block entry/exit, weapon – firearm, vaginal penetration – hands/fist/digital, and violence: minimal. From this, seven variables held predictive ability within the logistic regression, with five predicting the non-UK grouping and two the UK grouping. Research limitations/implications Future research should test the distinctions between UK and non-UK national stranger rapists and explore the impact of length of residency. Practical implications Results indicated that on the whole UK and non-UK stranger rapists display similar behaviours, but there were some distinct behaviours within stranger rape crime scenes, particularly the use of firearms. The ability to use crime scene behaviours to narrow suspect pools by criminal conviction is only useful when police have access to full criminal histories. Unfortunately, the ability to access and search non-UK databases is not always possible. Therefore, this study may be the first step for BIAs to utilise in identifying the likely offender nationality, before using further models that narrow down to criminal history. Originality/value This is the first study to examine whether it is possible to differentiate stranger rapists nationality using their offence behaviours.

Exploring the relationships between sexual violence, mental health and perpetrator identity: a cross-sectional Australian primary care study

BackgroundResearch supports the association between adult sexual violence (SV) and poor mental health. However, most studies focus on rape and physical sexual assault. Little is known about how more subtle forms of SV affect women’s well-being. Furthermore, evidence for the impact of the perpetrator’s identity is mixed. There is also little data from clinical populations to help health practitioners identify SV. This paper addresses these gaps by exploring the associations between different types of adult SV, perpetrator identity, and women’s mental health in the Australian primary care setting.MethodsWe conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study in general practice clinics. Adult women completed an anonymous survey while waiting for the doctor. Measures included PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety) and PCL-C (post-traumatic stress disorder). SV was measured using items from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey and categorised into three groups (rape/sexual assault; coercive behaviours and/or reproductive control; and unwanted sexual contact).ResultsWe found significant associations between rape/sexual assault and poor mental health, and between coercion and/or reproductive control and higher PTSD and anxiety scores, compared to women with no SV experiences. SV perpetrated by an intimate partner was associated with significantly higher mean PTSD scores than SV perpetrated by a stranger, and significantly higher depression scores than SV perpetrated by another known person.ConclusionFindings suggest that associations between SV and mental health are mediated by type of SV and perpetrator identity. Health practitioners should enquire about different types of SV beyond stranger rape as a cause of poor mental health, and about perpetrator identity to inform them about the likelihood of ongoing symptoms.

306 Is stranger rape a strategy to avoid female courtship behavior?: a parallel fMRI and penile plethysmography study

The absence of pleasant and friendly interaction with a woman prior to attack is a typical feature of stranger rape. This might indicate several mechanisms – the impulsivity of a perpetrator (cannot control their sex drive), the preference for humiliation and control (sadistic-like motivation) or their inability to achieve satisfactory sexual satisfaction in the context of normal female courtship behavior. Given that there is empirical evidence against first two possibilities (Harris et al., 2012; Seto et al., 2012), we tested the third possibility. We hypothesized that genital display of a female preceded by courtship behavior will create lesser penile reaction and lesser brain activation in rapists as opposed to controls, while the ratio will be reversed for the naked female displaying her genitalia preceded by non-courtship-like behaviors. The sample consisted of 15 convicted male rapists (diagnosed mainly as F65.9 “disorder of sexual preference not otherwise specified” in ICD-11) and 15 control males matched for demographic characteristics. Participants were exposed to the set of still pictures representing following conditions: 1) genital display preceded by courtship-like facial expressions, 2) genital display preceded by lustful facial expressions, 3) genital display preceded by facial expressions of distress, 4) genital display preceded by pictures of nature (control condition). Duration of each set of stimuli (a unit of analysis) was 18 seconds. The experiment lasted 36 minutes in total. Stimuli were presented in pseudo-random order. During the experiment, we simultaneously measured sexual arousal and brain response, using custom-built volumetric penile plethysmography (Heinrich SOM) and 3 Tesla magnetic resonance device, respectively. Other related variables (e.g. frequencies of solitary and dyadic sexual activities, sexual fantasies, ability for attachment and romantic love and specifics of courtship behavior) were assessed using questionnaires and anamnestic interview. SPSS 20 and SPM 12 software (MATLAB-associated) were used for data analysis.

Stranger rape: classifying Spanish sexual offences using multiple correspondence and cluster analyses

ABSTRACTWe have analysed the information in 342 police reports of stranger sexual offences recorded in 2010. We have carried out a multiple correspondence analysis and a cluster analysis using modus operandi variables to identify differential profiles in these types of sexual offences. We have come up with three profiles of stranger sexual offences, which concur in the two techniques used. By analysing the personal variables of the offenders with such profiles, we have found differences in terms of the offender’s country of origin and age. We will discuss the consequences of these results on the police investigation of stranger sexual offences.

Attributions of victim blame in stranger and acquaintance rape: A quantitative study.

To, on a sample of nurses and the general public, examine whether victim blame varies according to level of familiarly between victim and perpetrator. It also examines how Ambivalent Sexism and Rape Myth Acceptance impact on this. Around one in five women will be victims of sexual assault during their lifetime. The majority are acquaintance rapes, and these victims are generally attributed more blame than victims of stranger rape. Research indicates that nurses hold similar attitudes on gender roles and victim blame as do the general public. Eighty-one participants read a story depicting a sexual assault of a woman by either a stranger or an acquaintance and completed scales measuring victim blame, Ambivalent Sexism and Rape Myth Acceptance. The results of this study indicated that victim-perpetrator relationship, Benevolent Sexism, Hostile Sexism and whether the participant was a nurse contributed to the variance in attributed victim blame. Hierarchical regressions revealed that whether or not the participant was a nurse contributed to the variance in victim blame in the acquaintance rape condition, and Hostile Sexism and Benevolent Sexism contributed to the variance in victim blame in the stranger rape condition. This paper gives a novel insight into attitudes involved in victim blame in rape cases and makes a unique comparison between nurses and the general public. Findings suggest that victim blame correlates primarily with aggressively sexist attitudes and that nurses generally attribute more blame to the victim of acquaintance rape. This study has practical implications for the provision of medical services for victims of sexual assault, as it highlights problems in identifying and accessing rape victims, as well as recommending the sexual assault training of all practicing nurses.

Sexual Assault Disclosure: The Effect of Victim Race and Perpetrator Type on Empathy, Culpability, and Service Referral for Survivors in a Hypothetical Scenario.

The aftermath of sexual assault warrants further attention surrounding the responses provided by those to whom survivors disclose, especially when perpetrator type or victim race may affect whether the bystander response is supportive or attributes culpability to the victim. Disclosure responses have significant consequences for survivors' posttrauma mental health and formal help-seeking behavior. The current study used a sample of 348 self-report, paper-and-pencil surveys administered during the fall 2015 semester to a purposive sample of undergraduate students with a mean age of 20.94 years old at a midsized, Southern public university. Survey design included a randomly assigned 2 × 2 hypothetical sexual assault disclosure vignette. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of perpetrator type (stranger vs. acquaintance) and victim race (White vs. Black) on empathic concern, culpability attributions, and resource referral. Between-subjects factorial ANOVA and multivariate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were estimated to identify the role of vignette manipulations, participant-sexual victimization history, and rape myth acceptance on empathy, culpability, and resource referral for the sexual assault survivor portrayed in the vignette. Multivariate analyses included main effects and moderation models. Findings revealed increased culpability and decreased resource referral for victims of acquaintance rape as compared with stranger rape, independent of victim race. Although no direct victim race effects emerged in the multivariate analyses, race moderated the effect of culpability on resource referral indicating culpability attributions decreased resource referral, but only when the victim was Black . Implications from the results presented here include a continued focus on bystander intervention strategies, empathy-building techniques, and educational programming targeting potential sexual assault disclosees and race stereotypes that disadvantage victims of color.

Assisting the Investigation of Stranger Rapes: Predicting the Criminal Record of U.K. Stranger Rapists From Their Crime Scene Behaviors.

Davies, Wittebrood, and Jackson (1997) were among the first to investigate whether offense behaviors are predictive of criminal history, with the findings of their paper then utilized by the National Crime Agency (NCA) Behavioral Investigative Advisors (BIAs) when assisting rape investigations. The aim of the study was to replicate this seminal paper with a larger contemporary sample of U.K. stranger rapists as identified by NCA. Data from 474 adult male stranger rapists were obtained in relation to 22 crime scene behaviors and nine preconviction variables. Results indicated significant differences between the Davies et al. original data set and this contemporary data set in both the behaviors and the preconvictions they displayed. The contemporary sample was significantly less likely to use sighting precautions, use violence, and take fingerprint precautions. This sample was also significantly less likely to have any of the preconviction crime types, with the exception of drugs offenses. When exploring the current data set of stranger rapists, statistical analyses indicated a number of key offense behaviors that were able to predict the criminal history of stranger rapists. However, contrary to previous research, no behaviors were found to be associated with sexual offense preconvictions. The results highlight that behaviors and characteristics of stranger sex offenders have changed since the 1990s. The implications for practice are discussed.

An Examination of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: Comparing Marital and Nonmarital Incidents Employing NIBRS Data, 2008–2012

Marital rape first appeared in a peer-reviewed publication in 1977 (Gelles, 1977), was first prosecuted as a crime in 1978, but took another two decades to be recognized as a crime across the United States. Marital rape is an underreported social problem occurring twice as frequently as media-saturated stranger rape (Russell, 1990). The present study draws on 5 years of National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data (2008–2012) to provide baseline information on reported male-to-female marital sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to nonmarital sexual IPV. Findings reveal, in part, that husbands as perpetrators, and wives as victims, are significantly older than non-married sexual IPV offenders and victims. Married offenders are more likely to be White, and dating offenders Black. Injuries are significantly more likely if the victim and offender are married, with marital sexual IPV cases more likely to include sexual penetration, including higher incidence of rape, sodomy, and sexual assault with an object.

Perceptions of behaviours in stranger rape cases: a sequence analysis approach

ABSTRACTPsychological research into perceptions of sexual attacks, rape myths, and scripts usually involves questionnaires or qualitative reports. A new method for investigating the perceived dynamic sequence of behaviours between victim and attacker could help to outline common perceptions. The current study uses a Behaviour Sequence Analysis approach to investigate females’ perceptions of the interaction between a female victim and unknown, male attacker. A sample of females was asked to report their perceptions of the interaction between a female and stranger at night, leading up to a rape attack. The results indicated that females did not perceive weapons or excessive force to be likely behaviours. Also, females responded that most attackers would begin by first attempting to engage a female in conversation. An important contribution of the current research is to show temporal associations between behaviours. In addition, the current research highlights the strength of sequence analysis for understanding perceptions of dynamic patterns of violent behaviours.

Internet Facilitated Rape: A Multivariate Model of Offense Behavior.

Recent statistics report a significant increase in individuals reporting they have been raped by a stranger whom they have met through the Internet (Internet facilitated rape [IFR]). Previous literature has primarily focused on child victims; hence, the overriding aim of this study is to further our understanding of IFR in terms of crime scene behavior. One hundred forty-four IFR cases and two comparative samples of age-matched stranger rapists (confidence approach and surprise approach) were coded for 38 crime scene behaviors. Findings suggest that the platforms IFR offenders use to meet their victims were not suggestive of the behavior they were likely to display. In terms of specific offense behaviors, the IFR and confidence approach rapists were considerably similar and both samples were comparatively different from the surprise approach rapists. Thus, this may indicate that the method of approach used by a stranger rapist has a significant effect on the subsequent rape crime scene behavior displayed regardless of any prior contact. A smallest space analysis of the IFR sample revealed three distinct themes of behavior, criminal sophistication, interpersonal involvement, and violence with 71% of offenders displaying one dominant theme. The practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.

Evaluation of a Victim-Centered, Trauma-Informed Victim Notification Protocol for Untested Sexual Assault Kits (SAKs).

Throughout the United States, hundreds of thousands of sexual assault kits (SAKs) have not been submitted by the police for forensic DNA testing, which raises complex issues regarding how victims ought to be notified about what happened to their kits. In this project, we evaluated a victim-centered, trauma-informed victim notification protocol that was implemented in Detroit, Michigan. Most victims (84%) did not have a strong negative emotional reaction to notification, and most (57%) decided to reengage with the criminal justice system. Victims of nonstranger sexual assaults were less likely to reengage postnotification compared with victims of stranger rape.

Investigating the Self-Protective Potential of Immobility in Victims of Rape.

Using a nationwide sample of reported rape cases collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI; 389 victims; 89% stranger rapes), this study investigates assumptions about self-protective behaviors for rape victims. Past research on victim resistance strategies often specifies active resistance as self-protective, inadvertently underestimating the potential for biologically based reactions, such as tonic immobility, to be self-protective as well. Results confirm that rape victims who were verbally and physically immobile during the attack were less likely to be injured and have force used against them. In addition, victims who were verbally immobile suffered a less severe attack. The results indicate that immobility may protect the victim from increased injury, force, and severity of the attack. Implications for the legal and public definition of consent are discussed.

Culture of honour and the blaming of women in cases of rape / La cultura del honor y la inculpación de la mujer en casos de violación

The main objective of this research was to examine the influence of the culture of honour on victim blaming according to three types of rape scenarios involving the rape of a married woman (stranger rape vs. acquaintance rape vs. marital rape). A total of 262 university students (120 men and 142 women) participated in this study. Our results confirmed the influence of the culture of honour on the acquaintance rape scenario in the degree of victim blaming, followed by the marital rape scenario. In both scenarios the behaviour of the victim challenged the codes of the culture of honour. The results confirmed that the participants’ answers depended on the interaction of situational variables of a rape (type of scenarios) and the variables concerning the observer (the culture of honour).

Marital Rape: An Overview

Though marital rape is the most common and repugnant form of masochism in Indian society, it is hidden behind the iron curtain of marriage. Social practices and legal codes in India mutually enforce the denial of women sexual agency and bodily integrity, which lie at the heart of women human rights. Rape is rape. Be it stranger rape, date rape or marital rape. The law does not treat marital rape as a crime. Even if it does, the issue of penalty remains lost in a cloud of legal uncertainty. The legal system must be forced to accept rape within marriage as a crime. Further, women themselves must break free of societal shackles and fight for justice. They must refuse to comply with the standards applied to them as the weaker sex. Rape is an offence, which hinges on the absence of consent of the woman. It is important to realise that the absence of consent does not have to be only in the form of the word ‘no’. It should be assumed from the context of the situation. The offence of marital rape has not been sufficiently accounted for in the law.