Fear of Crime: Examining Gender Differences in Fear of Crime from and Identity Theory Perspective

• In Event: Identity, Media and Culture

Abstract

Traditional studies of the relationship between gender and fear of crime victimization provide empirical evidence that being a female increases fear of crime victimization and decreases belief in ability for self-defense against victimization. Prior studies compare biological males and females on outcome measures of responses to potential crime victimization, and conclude that the differences in physical strength between males and females account for gender differences in these outcomes. However, prior work neglects attention to social structural effects of gender on behavior. In particular, prior work does not examine how one’s gender identity influences fear of crime and perception of self-defense ability.
The current study uses self-report data from a sample of mid-western college students (N= 216) to examine the relationship between gender identity, fear of crime victimization, and perception of self-defense ability.

Authors

• Emily K. Asencio, Sonoma State University

• Monica Merrill, Youngstown State University