Reactions of Female and Male Victims of Rape or Robbery, Final Report

• NCJ Number: 114771
• Author(s): P A Resick
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 119 pages
• Grant Number(s): 85-IJ-CX-0042
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

This study examined precrime, crime, and postcrime variables for 75 female rape victims, 91 female robbery victims, and 108 male robbery victims in St. Louis County.

Abstract

Compared to robbery victims, rape victims were significantly more depressed, exhibited more overall distress, and scored higher on a measure of post-traumatic stress disorder. However, both groups experienced considerable distress, with two-thirds of rape and one-third of robbery victims showing severe distress symptoms. While both groups showed improvement in symptomatology over time, a majority of rape and 20 percent of robbery victims continued to experience distress symptoms at 18 months postcrime. Groups did not differ significantly in prior victimization or psychological history, but did differ on assault variables, with rape victims being subject to more threats, restraint, injury, and crime duration. Rape victims also experienced greater anxiety and perceptions of imminent injury and death and engaged in more resistance during the crime. For rape victims, postcrime recovery was related to victimization history (especially prior domestic and childhood physical abuse) and postcrime anger and behavior changes. For female robbery victims, extent of victimization, childhood sexual abuse, prior psychiatric history, and acquaintance with the perpetrator were predictive of recovery rates. Compared to males, female robbery victims showed greater distress in the first month after the crime, but differed little in their reactions thereafter. Few differences in social support were found. Participating in the criminal justice process had little impact on psychological functioning or work adjustment of victims, and 75 percent of those who participated in the process felt their treatment had been positive and supportive. 55 tables, 16 figures, and 33 references.