Application: Influence of Victim-Offender Relationship on Crime Characteristics

The first United States legislation outlawing marital rape passed in 1975 (Barden, 1987). Until that point-and well into the 1990s-the courts in many U.S. jurisdictions upheld a man's right to enact sexual violence against his wife. Many of the twentieth century U.S. laws viewed wives as the property of their husbands. In spite of its current illegal status in the United States, sexual assault against women by intimate partners remains a concern. Among 19.3% of women who reported having been raped in their lifetime, 43% of those were raped by an "intimate partner" (Tjaden & Thoennes, 1998). In nearly all cases of child rape, the acts occurred at the hands of a relative (World Health Organization, 2011).

A significant portion of violent crime occurs among acquaintances, friends, and relatives. The convenience of proximity may serve as an influential element in these cases. Might it also be the case that "familiarity breeds contempt"?

For this Assignment, review the case in this week's Interactive Community. Consider which factors may have contributed to the victimization in the case. Then think about how the victim-offender relationship may have influenced the crime. Finally, consider interventions that might have been used to prevent the crime from occurring.

The Assignment (2-3 pages):

Visit the Interactive Community and follow the instructions to access this week's media.

Media link:

http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/CRJS/6203/CH/mm/interactive_community/week2.html

• Explain which factors may have contributed to the victimization in the case study and explain how.
• Explain how the relationship between the victim and the offender may have influenced the type of crime, the location of the crime, and the type of weapon used.
• Explain two types of interventions that might have been used to prevent this crime from occurring and how.