Investigating the Causal Role of Opportunity in High Concentrations of Sexual Violence and Abuse

• In Event: Sexual Violence & Abuse from the Situational Crime Prevention and Opportunity Perspective

Abstract

The prevalence of sexual violence and abuse (SVA) is not evenly distributed in time and place, with higher concentrations of abuse noted at specific points in time, in some countries, neighbourhoods, organisations or other local contexts. This presentation will explore the development of these concentrations of abuse, with a particular focus on the role of opportunity as a causal mechanism. To do this a theory of concentrated SVA will be presented and applied to three disparate global case studies. An analysis of the opportunity structures and breakdowns in usual social controls over behaviour present in these case studies will be provided. Discussion of the implications for prevention will conclude the presentation.

Author

• Susan Rayment-McHugh, Griffith University