NCJ Number
177813
Journal
Studies on Crime and Crime Prevention Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: 1999 Pages: 88-105
Date Published
1999
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A survey of young adults in the greater Oslo, Norway, area sought to determine the behavioral factors and predictors of violent victimization, as well as potential gender differences in these factors.
Abstract
The 447 participants were part of a student population first studied in 1987; they were assessed for the present research in 1993, at ages 18-20 years, and again 2 years later. They were asked about their own violent acts, as well as other offending or conflict-provoking behavior. Both male and female victims reported more deviant behavior than their non-victimized counterparts, but the overlap between self-reported violent behavior and victimization was larger for men than for women. However, stability over time in victimization was much greater for women. In addition, previous victimization was the decidedly most powerful predictor of future of women's future victimization. Moreover, involvement in violent behavior was a male-specific predictor of victimization. Women's self-reported acts of violence were associated with a reduced risk of subsequent victimization when the data were controlled for previous experience as a victim. This surprising result reflected the finding that nonviolent women who had been severely victimized at ages 18-20 were at a dramatically high risk of revictimization at ages 20-22. Findings strongly suggested that research and theorizing in victimology should focus systematically on gender differences. Tables, footnote, and 60 references (Author abstract modified)