Assessing Adolescent Victim Cooperation in Sexual Assault Cases

• In Event: Poster Session I

Abstract

Existing research overwhelmingly indicates that victim cooperation influences case outcomes in sexual assault cases. However, no studies have focused on examining cooperation decisions in sexual assault cases that involve adolescents. This study uses sexual assaults reported to Los Angeles law enforcement in 2008 to address this issue. Examining cases involving adolescent victims is important because the contextual factors associated with victim cooperation may vary depending on age. Therefore, this study estimates a model of victim cooperation that includes age-specific variables (e.g., whether the victim’s parents reported to police, whether or not the victim was engaging in a status offense—like alcohol consumption—prior to or during the assault, etc.) to determine whether these factors influence the decision to cooperate with law enforcement. Implications and theoretical directions for future research are discussed.

Authors

• Katherine Meeker, Sam Houston State University

• Eryn Nicole O'Neal, Sam Houston State University

• Brittany E. Hayes, Sam Houston State University