Rädsla för brott är ett välstuderat fenomen som innefattar en könsrelaterad rädsla. Tidigare forskning visar att rädslan är differentierad mellan män och kvinnor vilket anses kunna bero på insocialiserade könsroller. Forskning indikerar att kvinnor upplever i högre utsträckning än män en rädsla att utsättas för brott, trots att män enligt statistiska undersökningar utsätts i större utsträckning för brott. Studien ämnar därför till att undersöka unga kvinnors rädsla att utsättas för brott och de eventuella konsekvenser denna rädsla har för kvinnornas beteende. Studien undersöker även hur brottsrelaterad information som förmedlas via media påverkar den upplevda rädslan. Via semistrukturerade djupintervjuer samt en tematisk analys visade resultatet att kvinnornas rädsla är något situationsbundet. Resultatet visar dels på en rädsla att bli överfallen av en främmande man samt beteendeanpassningar för att hantera rädslan och minimera risken att utsättas för brott. Kvinnornas beskrivningar av sin rädsla påvisar dock en dubbelhet i om man presenterar sig själv som rädd, där antagandet görs att samhället genererar konflikterande signaler på hur en kvinna ska presentera sin rädsla.

<p>The purpose of this study was to examine young women’s perception and fear of sexual assault. An additional aim was to analyze the women’s view on guilt and responsibility in rape related questions. Two focus group interviews were executed with undergraduate women aged 22-32 years. The questions focused on the women’s understanding of rape and their fear of sexual assault. Questions about responsibility for rape and risky behaviour were also asked. The main results showed that the women are more likely to fear violent stranger rape outdoors than acquaintance rape indoors. They also use constrained behaviour at some level to avoid riskfull situations and to lower their fear of rape. The women were aware of the fact that most rapes occur indoors and are executed by someone known to the victim. Despite this knowledge they did not feel that acquaintance rape was a threat to them. A strong sense of ambivalence among the</p><p>women was also found. They felt that the reality is different from the ideal world. In reality women have to consider risk factors and take responsibility for a sexual assault at some level. In the ideal world women would not have to constrain their behaviour and the responsibility for a rape would rest on the male perpetrator. The results were discussed from a feminist perspective and the main conclusion was that rape prevention should question the patriarchal ideology and attempt to affect men’s attitudes instead of encouraging women to constrain their behaviours and live their lives in fear.</p>

The purpose of this study was to examine young women’s perception and fear of sexual assault. An additional aim was to analyze the women’s view on guilt and responsibility in rape related questions. Two focus group interviews were executed with undergraduate women aged 22-32 years. The questions focused on the women’s understanding of rape and their fear of sexual assault. Questions about responsibility for rape and risky behaviour were also asked. The main results showed that the women are more likely to fear violent stranger rape outdoors than acquaintance rape indoors. They also use constrained behaviour at some level to avoid riskfull situations and to lower their fear of rape. The women were aware of the fact that most rapes occur indoors and are executed by someone known to the victim. Despite this knowledge they did not feel that acquaintance rape was a threat to them. A strong sense of ambivalence among the women was also found. They felt that the reality is different from the ideal world. In reality women have to consider risk factors and take responsibility for a sexual assault at some level. In the ideal world women would not have to constrain their behaviour and the responsibility for a rape would rest on the male perpetrator. The results were discussed from a feminist perspective and the main conclusion was that rape prevention should question the patriarchal ideology and attempt to affect men’s attitudes instead of encouraging women to constrain their behaviours and live their lives in fear.