Security issue: Sexual assault

In a vast majority of the cases, victims of sexual assault are female

Sexual assault is assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. It includes (in most jurisdictions):

• Rape;
• Attempted rape;
• Child sexual abuse;
• Elderly sexual assault;
• Sexual harassment;
• Groping;
• Domestic violence; and
• Bestiality

Each of these categories are described in more detail in the Wikipedia page on sexual assault.

Description

In the context of the Securipedia, we will focus on sexual assault by strangers in the urban public space. This precludes domestic violence and (for all practical purposes) bestiality.

Almost all (93%) sexual assaults are commuted by men and the vast majority (86%) of the victims are female.

Rape is generally believed to be primarily motivated by the need of exerting power; forced sexual acts of various kinds are used to satisfy the variations of those needs. Power, anger, and control are the motives, and rape is the intent.

For female victims of sexual assault, the most frequently reported locations where the most recent assault had taken place were the victim’s own or another home (40%), and a public venue (37%), such as a place of entertainment, including car parks.

Contributing circumstances

Known circumstances to influence the likelihood or effect of assault, are presented in the table below:

Contributing Circumstance	Influence	Description
Use of alcohol and/or drugs.	Increases level of aggression.	About one-third of the recorded assault cases are related to the use of alcohol or drugs. The excessive use of alcohol and consequently the access to alcohol in bars, cafés, dance clubs and other places of entertainment, but also liquor dealers or discount stores selling alcohol in places where alcohol is consumed in the street are therefore important contributing circumstances for assault as security issue. Be aware that the type of establishment, as well as the way they are clustered can be of great influence on the extent that assault may result. A practical guide to assessing this can be found on the website of the Centre for Problem-Orientated Policing .
Large crowds.	Increases likelihood of conflict.	Rival fan groupings at a sports game or concert goers are typical examples. In July 2012, an outdoor concert at Dublin's (Ireland) Phoenix Park resulted in a litany of incidents including assaults, public order offences, and drugs seizures. The concert was attended by c. 45,000 people, and a subsequent report by the police force (An Garda Siochana) found that the park was not a suitable venue for 'outdoor electric music concerts'.
Abandoned/secluded areas and low traffic volumes (cars and/or pedestrians).	Decreases likelihood of detection.	A decreased perceived risk of detection decreases the perceived need for restraint of unwanted behaviour.
Low level of social monitoring.	Decreases level of social correction.	A decreased perceived risk of detection and correction decreases the perceived need for restraint of unwanted behaviour.
Low level of physical monitoring (e.g. cameras).	Decreases likelihood of detection.	This reduces the possibilities of intervening and increases the likelihood of the conflict escalating. Low levels of physical monitoring contributes to less enforcement of the law, which undermines other efforts to prevent assault and other crimes occurring.
Long reaction times or inadequate action of reaction force.	Decreases likelihood of apprehension	Untimely or inappropriate reactions to violence lead to a perception of little control, which will increase perceived risk for the public and decrease perceived risk for the perpetrators. Also, reducing the impact of an assault (by timely intervention) will also be impossoble and lead to greater effects of incidents.
Presence of vulnerable groups.	Increases the likelihood of conflict.	This may include communities made up of groups with different ethnic or racial backgrounds, or areas where there is a high distribution of elderly people, etc. In gender equality studies, research into the vulnerability of women in urban spaces is often conducted. Often, women, through fear, feel it necessary to consider where they are going (from point A to B through the urban environment), at what time, with whom they will travel, and even what they will wear.
Incompatible zonings.	Increases of the likelihood of conflict.	Incompatible zonings, and activities therein, can increase the likelihood of vulnerable groups and potential offenders meeting. The composition and compatibility of adjoining land uses should be sufficiently considered by urban planners.
Low levels of social capital.	Likelihood of offences	A low level of social capital within the community (trust, friendliness, civic involvement, etc) often reflects in elevated street levels of crime, including assault.
Affluence and deprivation.	Increases the likelihood of conflict.	Together with alcohol consumption, poverty is one of the few socio-economic causes that increases the risk of vulnerable groups such as women, children, adolescents and homosexuals becoming victims of physical violence. The British Crime Survey reveals that areas with council flats, high unemployment and persons living alone or with many lone parent families, and areas with furnished flats and bedsits housing young single people are among the most at-risk of being burgled. Affluent neighbourhoods where residents are absent for extended periods during a day or at weekends and areas with low levels of collective responsibility are particularly attractive to burglars as the risk of getting caught may be low.

• Most of the sex offenders commit their crimes in or close to home.
• Women with disabilities are raped and abused at a rate at least twice that of the general population of women.
• Alcohol (?)

Socio-economic causes

Together with alcohol consumption, poverty is one of the few socio-economic causes that increases the risk of vulnerable groups such as women, children, adolescents and homosexuals becoming victims of physical violence.

Impacts

Social impact

• There is at least a 50 percent likelihood that a woman will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after being raped. Sexual assault is also closely associated with depression and anxiety disorders.
• Of adult American women who are raped, 31.5 percent are physically injured.

Economic impact

Sexual assault leads to considerable costs in both a direct (primary) and a indirect (secondary) way. Direct costs of sexual assaults come in the form of:

• Preventive costs in anticipation of sexual assaults (e.g. private security measures)
• Material and immaterial costs as a consequence of sexual assaults (e.g. physical damage, medical costs, mental harm); and
• Responsive costs to sexual assaults (e.g. the costs of detection and prevention, prosecution, support trial, etc.)

Other examples of immaterial costs of sexual assaults are:

• costs due to the emotional and physical impact on victims
• costs due to a loss of output
• the costs of victim Services.

The cost of rape and sexual assault, excluding child sexual assault, per criminal victimisation is $87,000 per year. For the victim, the average rape or attempted rape costs $5,100 in tangible, out-of-pocket expenses. According to a research study by AVA (Academy on Violence and Abuse), violence and abuse also have a negative impact on the long-term health care costs, as a result of more frequent or more severe health conditions such as heart disease, diabeters, back pain, stroke, mental illness etc. . This is an example of a secondary economic impact of crime.

Measures

Measure against rape that can be influenced by urban planners are primarily addressing reducing the contributing circumstances:

• Avoid creating places with a high likelihood of alcohol abuse
• Avoid creating deserted spots (?)
• Provide good transportation
• Be especially aware of protecting vulnerable groups, such as disableds
• Directing flows of people => avoid 'attractive' circumstances
• Surveillance
• Reaction force