A gender-biased definition: unintended impacts of the fear requirement in stalking victimization

This study sought to understand (a) whether or not, compared with men, women are more likely to report being frightened by stalking behaviors, when controlling for correlates associated with fear, and (b) whether or not men and women have significantly different (gendered) reactions to factors assoc...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Gatewood Owens, Jennifer (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2017
In: Crime & delinquency
Year: 2017, Volume: 63, Issue: 11, Pages: 1339-1362
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
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Keywords:
Stalking victimization
NCVS
Fear of stalking
Defining victimization
Stalking-Opfer
Anzeigeverhalten
Frauen
Studie
Description
Summary:This study sought to understand (a) whether or not, compared with men, women are more likely to report being frightened by stalking behaviors, when controlling for correlates associated with fear, and (b) whether or not men and women have significantly different (gendered) reactions to factors associated with increased levels of fear. The author found women were exponentially more likely than men to report fear, despite controlling for indications that women had experienced the more serious stalking incidents. Furthermore, these variable factors affected both men and women in similar ways. Arguably, the fear requirement present in most states’ definitions of stalking is inherently gender-biased and should be removed, as no other type of crime is defined by an emotional response.
ISSN:1552-387X
DOI:10.1177/0011128715615883