Who fights back? : Individual and Situational Predictors of Victim Resistance

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

Research has largely neglected to consider victim resistance to violent crime. The scant literature focuses primarily on sexually-based crimes, women and child victims, and effectiveness of the resistance. The current study is among the first to describe the contours of victim resistance. Using a sample of 1748 homicide cases from eight urban American cities, this research investigates the impact of individual and situational variables on the degree of victim resistance. Bivariate correlations, One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models revealed significant differences in victim resistance by gender, weapon used, age, number of eyewitnesses, and location of the crime. Findings further the development of victim resistance, and have implications for prevention and target hardening strategies.

Authors

• Lauren Michael Henry, University of Florida

• Julia E. Meehan, Florida Institute of Technology