Difference between revisions of "Security issue: Sexual assault"

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Revision as of 18:31, 30 January 2013


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.[1]

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.[2]

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.[1]

Attributing circumstances

  • Most of the sex offenders commit their crimes in or close to home.[3]
  • Women with disabilities are raped and abused at a rate at least twice that of the general population of women.[4]
  • 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[5] becoming victims of physical violence.

Impacts

  • 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.[6]
  • Of adult American women who are raped, 31.5 percent are physically injured.[7]

Economic impact

Sexual assault leads to considerable costs in both a direct (primary) and a indirect (secondary) way[8]. 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, persecution, 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[9].

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.[10] 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. [11]. 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 attributing 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

Footnotes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.secasa.com.au/assets/Statstics/national-crime-and-safety-australia-2002.pdf
  2. ↑ Savino, J., and B. Turvey (2005). Rape Investigation Handbook. Burlington, MA: Elsevier
  3. ↑ Spatial patterns of sex offenders: Theoretical, empirical, and practical issues Eric Beauregard, Jean Proulx, D. Kim Rossmo; Agression and Violent Behavior 10 (2005) 579-603
  4. ↑ Sobsey. D, 1994. “Violence and Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities,” The End of Silent Acceptance, Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co, Inc.
  5. ↑ See e.g.: Straus, M.A, and R.J. Gelles (2009); Zavaschi, M.Z. et al. (2002) http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S1020-49892002001100006&script=sci_arttext&tlng=es; Huebner, D.M. et al. (2003) http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.94.7.1200
  6. ↑ “Populations Reports: Ending Violence Against Women” Populations Information Program, Center for Communication Programs. The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, December 1999.
  7. ↑ Tjaden, P, Thoennes N. Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey, Washington (DC): National Institute of Justice; 2000. Report NCJ 183781.
  8. ↑ Primary economic impact (or direct effects) are generally defined as the initial, immediate economic output generated by a specific cause (in this case a criminal offence). Secondary economic impact (or indirect effects) are generated each time a subsequent transaction is made, for example, the impact of crime on the real estate value in the neighbourhood.
  9. ↑ Brand, S. and R. Price (2000). The Economic and Social Costs of Crime. Home Office Research Study 217
  10. ↑ Milled, Ted, et al. Victims Costs and Consequences: A New Look, National Institute of Justice Report, US Department of Justice, 1996.
  11. ↑ AVA (2009). Hidden Costs in Health Care: The Economic Impact of Violence and Abuse


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