Factors Related to Rape Victims’ Decision to File Police Reports

Victims of rape must decide whether to file a police report, and many victims decide not to report the rape to the police. The literature on the associations between demographic and individual factors and reporting rape to the police is limited. Here, we investigated the associations between demographic and individual factors (education, socioeconomic status, age, native country, years lived in Finland, gender, sexual orientation, relationship status, close persons, substance use, and mental disorder) and police reporting in a Finnish sample of rape victims (N = 191) from the Helsinki Seri Support Center. We collected data through an online survey. We found that victims with a university degree were less likely to report than those with a vocational qualification. None of the other factors measured were robustly associated with reporting. It is possible that the Seri Support Center successfully mitigates otherwise encountered obstacles to reporting. The present study was the first to investigate this topic in Finland. The practical implications of these findings are discussed, and the value of support services highlighted.

‘Eastern Criminals’ and Moral Panic: On Lithuanian Offenders in Danish Prison Facilities

This chapter analyses an increased number of arrests made on young Lithuanian burglars in Denmark. Following the newspaper hype and political reactions to the burglaries, a distorted picture of the ‘devils’ is produced, letting the public believe that the Lithuanian lawbreakers are particularly inhumane, ruthless and violent. Despite the police reporting that they never have had any violent incidents with Lithuanians, the public image prevails. This negative image ends up affecting their treatment and their rights in Danish detention centres, as prison guards act in accordance with the image, rather than in accordance with their own experience. This makes Lithuanians a particularly vulnerable group of inmates in Denmark.

Experiences and factors associated with transphobic hate crimes among transgender women in the San Francisco Bay Area: comparisons across race

Background Trans women experience high rates of gender-based violence (GBV)—a risk factor for adverse health outcomes. Transphobic hate crimes are one such form of GBV that affect trans women. However, little is understood about factors that shape transphobic hate crimes and racial/ethnic variation in these experiences. To contextualize GBV risk and police reporting, we examined self-reported types and correlates of transphobic hate crimes by racial/ethnic group of trans women in the San Francisco Bay Area. Methods From 2016 to 2018, trans women participated in a longitudinal cohort study of HIV. Secondary data analyses (N = 629) examined self-reported experiences of transphobic hate crimes (i.e., robbery, physical assault, sexual assault, and battery with weapon) by race/ethnicity, and whether hate crimes were reported to the police. Chi-square tests and simple logistic regression examined demographic, sociocultural, and gender identity factors associated with transphobic violence experiences and police reporting. Results About half (45.8%) of participants reported ever experiencing a transphobic hate crime; only 51.1% of these were reported to the police. Among those who reported a hate crime experience, Black (47.9%) and Latina (49.0%) trans women reported a higher prevalence of battery with a weapon; White (26.7%) and trans women of “other” race/ethnicities (25.0%) reported a higher prevalence of sexual assault (p = 0.001). Having one’s gender questioned, history of sex work, homelessness as a child and adult, and a history incarceration were associated with higher odds of experiencing a transphobic hate crime. Trans women who felt their gender identity questioned had lower odds of reporting a hate crime to the police compared to those did not feel questioned. Conclusions A high proportion of trans women experienced a transphobic hate crime, with significant socio-structural risk factors and racial differences by crime type. However, crimes were underreported to the police. Interventions that address structural factors, especially among trans women of color, can yield violence prevention benefits.

Experiences and factors associated with transphobic hate crimes among transgender women in the San Francisco Bay Area: comparisons across race

BackgroundTrans women experience high rates of gender-based violence (GBV). Little is understood about factors that shape transphobic hate crimes (a form of GBV) and racial/ethnic variation in these experiences. To contextualize GBV risk and police reporting, we examined self-reported types and correlates of transphobic hate crimes by racial/ethnic group of trans women in the San Francisco Bay Area.MethodsFrom 2016-2018, trans women participated in an HIV epidemiological study. Data analyses (N=629) examined self-reported experiences of transphobic hate crimes by race/ethnicity, and whether hate crimes were reported to the police. Chi-square tests and simple logistic regression examined sociocultural and gender identity factors associated with transphobic violence experiences and police reporting. ResultsAbout 45.8% of participants reported ever experiencing transphobic hate crime; only 48.9% of these were reported to the police. Black (47.9%) and Latina (49.0%) trans women reported a higher prevalence of battery with a weapon; White (26.7%) and trans women of “other” race/ethnicities (25.0%) reported a higher prevalence of sexual assault (p=0.001). Having one’s gender questioned, history of sex work, homelessness as a child and adult, and a history incarceration were associated with higher odds of experiencing transphobic hate crime. Trans women who felt their gender identity questioned had lower odds of reporting a hate crime to the police compared to those did not feel questioned. ConclusionsA high proportion of trans women experienced transphobic hate crime, with significant socio-structural risk factors and racial differences by crime type. However, crimes were underreported to the police. Interventions that address structural factors can yield violence prevention benefits.

Cross-National Examination of the Relationship Between Gender Equality and Female Homicide and Rape Victimization

This study is the first cross-national work to examine the impact of gender equality on both female homicide and rape victimization. The data set from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was analyzed for 70 countries. Several gender equality measures were significantly and positively related to rape victimization, but were mostly not significant to female homicide. Findings for rape victimization were consistent with the backlash hypothesis, but such findings may be related to the limitations of police rape rates, such as different legal definitions and police-reporting behaviors across countries.