Domestic violence perpetrated by men against women persists as a major human rights issue in the United States and around the world with some estimates showing that one in four women will be victimized in their lifetimes. Victims face many obstacles when they try to leave their abusive partners. A major barrier faced by victims is secondary victimization. Secondary victimization is the process in which informal (e.g., family, friends, etc.) and formal (e.g., police officer, judges, etc.) supporters re-victimize the victim by questioning the validity of the abuse, excusing the perpetrator, and blaming the victim. Because most victims seek help from informal supporters first, predictive personality factors of supportive attitudes towards DV victims from informal supporters was the main focus of this study and a measure, the Support for the Victim scale, was developed for the current study based on a review of the literature and a consultation with a licensed psychologist. Using a sample of college students from Brigham Young University, an online survey was conducted to examine which factors are predictive of supportive attitudes towards DV victims.

THE CRIME OF RAPE - CRIMINAL AND CRIMINOLOGICAL ASPECTS The thesis is composed of six chapters and is focused on criminal and criminological aspects of the crime of rape. I decided to write about this topic especially because of severity of the consequences caused by this crime to the victim and because of the dangerousness of the offender. Chapter One is subdivided into six parts and it contains the introduction to the topic, in particular the outline of the historical development in this area and analysis of the current legislation with focus on terms which could be difficult to interpret. This chapter ends with presentation of static data regarding to the crime of rape and their graphical representation. Next chapter consists of three parts and is focused on the offender of the crime of rape, particularly on his personality, typology and prediction of his future development. Following part of the thesis is subdivided into five parts. It deals in great detail with victims of this type of crime especially with primary and secondary victimization caused to them and with all kinds of help that could be provided to them. Considerable scope of this chapter is dedicated to the bill on victims of the crime which could be from the perspective of current legislation and its deficiencies in case of...

Secondary victimization of victims of sexual crimes by law enforcement authorities Abstract Although victims of crime received more attention in recent years than ever before, there are lots of myths about them in our society. These myths distort the view not only of the victims themselves, but of moral crimes in general and subsequently they have influence as to how victims are treated. A victim who reports a sexually motivated crime has to face stressful and confusing criminal proceedings. During the proceedings victims are usually forced to testify repeatedly, meet the perpetrator, respond to hurtful questions about their past, their relationship with the perpetrator and justify their behaviour during primary victimization. All of these uncomfortable experiences are the causes of secondary victimization by law enforcement authorities. The main aim of this thesis was to analyze criminal proceedings from the perspective of victims and focus on dangerous situations during which law enforcement authorities can cause secondary victimization to them. The author wanted to clarify the danger of secondary victimizations and dispel the myths and stereotypes which have influence on how we treat the victims and cause secondary victimization. As a source for analysis of criminal proceedings was not only the...

The response of community members and public institutions to the crimes of rape and sexual assault have been, historically, disappointing. Victims have felt forced into silence, ashamed to speak out about their experiences. More recently, with the rise of social media use and the #me-too movement, attention and interest has been garnered for this unique class of crimes and victims. It has been discovered that victims of sexual assault who report their assault to community members, police investigators, and health care workers are at risk of secondary victimization. This is a series of attitudes, behaviors, and practices that retraumatizes, shames, and blames victims of sexual assault. These behaviors contribute to increased levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, shame, self-blame, lack of perpetrator prosecution, and more. The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the causes and effects of secondary victimization, its extent and prevalence, specifically how young adult females were affected by this issue, and any potential programs or solutions that may reduce or limit secondary victimization. This aim was achieved by reviewing and synthesizing thirty-two research articles related to issues of women's health, secondary victimization, and sexual assault or rape. Several programs were found to show promise for reducing this phenomenon, including sexual assault nurse examiner programs, victim advocates, professional counseling, and improving the education of police investigators and others involved in interactions with sexual assault victims.

Secondary Victimization of Victims by Criminal Proceedings Abstract The submitted diploma thesis deals with the issue of secondary victimization in the context of criminal proceedings. The main goal of this work is to evaluate whether effective legislation provides victims with protection against secondary harm. Based on the theoretical basis of the issue of secondary victimization, the thesis also focuses on finding out whether the legislation adequately reflects the current victimological and psychological knowledge in the field of secondary victimization and secondary harm. The work is divided into three chapters. The first part deals with the basic conceptual issues of secondary victimization in a broader context. Emphasis is placed on the transformation of the victim's position in criminal proceedings within the historical development of victimology as an independent field. The terminological and interpretive shortcomings of the concept of victimization are also emphasized. The second chapter discusses secondary victimization as a victimological phenomenon. In addition to defining the concept of secondary victimization, attention is paid to the causes of secondary victimization, its sources and types of actions leading to secondary harm. The main part of the work is the third chapter, which deals with...

The aim of the given study is to investigate the impact of the legal as well as the sociocultural systems of Iran on the secondary victimization of rape victims in the country. As a theoretical background of the study, two feminist theories, Feminist criminology and Radical Feminist, will be used. By the help of these theories the influences of patriarchy on secondary victimization of rape victims in Iran will be explained. While case study is used to frame the design of the study, qualitative content analysis will also be used to collect the needed data through analyzing different sources and materials. The findings show that the lack of comprehensive laws regarding rape crime in Iran and the way service providers view and perceive rape victims have led to re-victimization of rape victims. Moreover, analyzing the sociocultural system of the country demonstrated that the prevalence of rape myths and gender inequality in the society have also contributed to re-victimization of such victims. The author believes that establishing new comprehensive laws regarding rape crime and changing the service providers and people’s attitudes regarding rape crime and rape victims through education are the most appropriate solutions for this problem.

Rights of the victims of crimes and options of their employment during the criminal proceedings Abstract This master's thesis inquires into crime victims' rights, their status in the criminal proceedings and actual employability of their guaranteed rights. It contains a brief history of development of the legislative concerning the topic. My thesis comes to a conclusion that especially in the last fifty years, the status and range of crime victims' rights has been constantly improving. Crime victim is becoming less and less just a bearer of evidence of the crime and is more and more becoming an active subject of the criminal proceedings, on which they also have their interest. With the passing of the new Crime Victims' Rights Act, the Czech legal system was enriched by a wide array of victims' rights that provides special care and approach from the state and its authorities. In the heart of the new act is the victim as a target of an undeserved attack in the form of a crime and as such is entitled to help. Necessary help provided to the victim is not only specialized psychological and social assistance, but also straightforward financial help and a kind and understanding approach. One of the main goals of the Crime Victims' Rights Act is prevention and protection from the secondary victimization, which is...

The crimes against human dignity in sexual area - criminal and criminological aspects Abstract: The thesis deals with those crimes that affect the most intimate area of human life, the sexual area. It analyzes those crimes from a criminal point of view and compares the current Czech legislation with the legislation in Spain. Based on this comparison, the thesis contains several considerations de lege ferenda, which could improve the current Czech legislation. As the chosen topic is strongly affected by forensic science and criminology, the thesis also deals with sexual crimes from the point of view of these scientific disciplines. From a criminological point of view, the thesis examines the personality of the perpetrator and the victim. With regard to perpetrators, it deals primarily with the motives, motivations and typology of perpetrators in general. In relation to victims the thesis finds out, in particular, how committing these crimes affects their lives (including secondary victimization) and deals with their position from a procedural point of view. In the part dealing with forensic science this thesis describes the specifics associated with the investigation of this type of crimes. In order to determine whether these procedures are effective, the first part contains statistical reports showing...

Submitted by Maria Creuza Silva (mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-08-04T18:24:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE Leticia Azevedo. 2015.pdf: 1407474 bytes, checksum: 007588f254324a55b93e9fc4c9df645a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Creuza Silva (mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-08-04T18:24:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE Leticia Azevedo. 2015.pdf: 1407474 bytes, checksum: 007588f254324a55b93e9fc4c9df645a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-04T18:24:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE Leticia Azevedo. 2015.pdf: 1407474 bytes, checksum: 007588f254324a55b93e9fc4c9df645a (MD5) / O presente trabalho busca conhecer a experiência de vitimização e repercussões do sequestro relâmpago, procurando uma compreensão sobre as interações que permeiam o evento vitimógenoe suas características como delito. Para cumprir o desafio, estudamos o fenômeno a partir de quatro objetivos específicos: caracterizar os eventos de sequestro relâmpago; analisar as vitimizações secundárias; compreender a influência do sequestro relâmpagono curso de vida e saúde das vítimas; e conhecer as repercussões nos familiares das vítimas.O estudo possui um desenho metodológico qualitativo, com entrevistas individuais, guiadas por roteirossemi-estruturados. Participaram da pesquisa 35 vítimas, quatro familiares e quatro ofensores cujas entrevistas geraram dados posteriormente triangulados com reportagens de jornais e observações de campo realizadas na delegacia e na penitenciária. O sequestro relâmpago manifesta-se, ainda na década de 1990, como uma modalidade de violência criminal cujas vítimas são submetidas a um enquadramento coercitivo e mantidas reféns dentro do veículo. Firma-se como um delito moldado pela realidade das cidades cada vez mais ajustadas à sociedade do consumo, e seus objetivos são em grande parte instrumentais, voltados à aquisição material e financeira. Os episódios são geridos majoritariamente por ameaças à integridade física, mas podem ser compostos por violências mais expressivas, particularmente as sexuais, denotando mais um mecanismo de reprodução da violência de gênero. Ofensores e vítimas desenvolvem um contrato coercitivo-cooperativo que rege suas expectativas e atitudes, propondo uma transação na qual há conversão dos bens obtidos em garantia de integridade física das vítimas. A maioria das vítimas coopera, aderindo ao contrato e negociando seus termos. Elas “trabalham a mente” dos ofensores e tentam criar empatia. O não cumprimento do contrato pelos ofensores ou a ausência de um que assegure minimamente a intenção instrumental do delito pode implicar em tentativa de reação e fuga por parte da vítima. Após a vitimização, o ex-refém geralmente percorre um itinerário de reparação e cuidados que começa pela delegacia de polícia e pode ou não prosseguir por outros órgãos públicos ou empresas – judiciário, seguradora do veículo, estabelecimento onde ocorreu a captura, etc. Raramente se recorre a serviços de saúde pois não há o “dano ao corpo”. Nestes espaços, é recorrente a exposição a vitimizações secundárias. As vítimas engajam-se em mecanismos de enfrentamento como resposta à vitimização. Elas engendram defesas e criam seus próprios “manuais de segurança” para protegerem a si e aqueles com quem compartilham laços afetivos. Familiares e amigos são fundamentais na co-construção de novos sentidos e ressignificação da experiência. As crenças religiosas e a necessidade de se retomar as obrigações da vida, como o trabalho e o cuidado com a família também mobilizam ao enfrentamento contínuo da vitimização. Nesse processo, os próprios familiares sofrem vitimização indireta, apresentando,muitas vezes, repercussões semelhantes às da vítima direta e ansiedade atrelada à possibilidade de perda do familiar sequestrado. Isto os impulsiona a reconfigurar a própria concepção de mundo e relação com o ente amado, pois a vida fica “marcada”.

Every day people are exposed to crimes in Sweden, which can lead to both emotional and practical difficulties. Having the opportunity to get support and help after a traumatic incident can reduce the negative consequences of a crime, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and secondary victimization. In many communities in Sweden there are local support services for the crime victims, but in the district of Östra Norrbotten there are no support activities that specifically address this issue. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate if the police in Östra Norrbotten feel that they can offer the crime victim sufficient support or refer to such support. Eight police officers in the district were interviewed to learn about their experiences. The results show that the majority of respondents felt that there are gaps in the field they can´t provide the crime victims to a support that they deem as sufficient or refer to such support. The fact that crime victims do not receive support can lead to negative impact on the recovery from all events. / <p>Validerat; 20130317 (global_studentproject_submitter)</p>