Citation

Woods L, Porter L. J. Sex. Aggress. 2008; 14(1): 61-75.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13552600802056640

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study examined the behavioural differences in sexual assault offences in relation to the offender-victim relationship (stranger versus non-stranger). These differences were examined specifically in the context of four interpersonal themes of interaction: dominance, submission, hostility and cooperation. The details of 100 sexual offence cases (50 stranger and 50 non-stranger) were content-analysed, generating 58 dichotomous variables, covering offender and victim behaviour during the offence. Chi-Sq tests comparing the two samples found that offenders who were strangers to their victims were more likely than non-stranger offenders to display behaviours that indicate a hostile, violent offence style. In contrast, those offenders who knew their victims were more likely than strangers to display a less violent and more personal, compliance-gaining offence style. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for offender rehabilitation and victim support.

Language: en