A B S T R A C TTwo hundred and twenty three group rape offences were collated from archival sources, with the majority of cases from US and UK law reports. This involved 739 separate offenders (722 male and 17 female). Descriptive analyses indicated that this sample of offences tended to be committed by young males (mean age 21 years old) upon approximately same-age female victims. These offences involved multiple sexual acts often accompanied by acts of violence, with just over one-fifth ending in the victim's death. Victim resistance was relatively rare, although a range of verbal and physical reactions was apparent. The psychological implications of the results are discussed with respect to theories of co-offending.
This study explores differences between group and lone sexual assaults, using a framework of interpersonal dimensions of dominanceÁsubmission and cooperationÁhostility (Alison & Stein, Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 12, 515Á538, 2001). From archival sources, 120 cases (60 group and 60 lone offender assaults) were content analysed for offender, victim and context variables. A number of behavioural characteristics were found to differ between group and lone rape. Specifically, more hostile interactions were involved in group rape, including increased violence. Additionally, (pseudo-) submissive offender behaviour was more frequent in lone assaults, including the offender's use of a confidence approach and associated greater victim dominance. The psychological implications are discussed, with particular reference to the circumplex dimensions and principles, and how these can inform the treatment of both offenders and their victims.
This study provides an analysis of offender-victim interactions in 223 cases of sexual violence committed in gangs. Cases were derived from archival sources such as law reports. A multivariate analysis revealed four interpersonal themes (dominance, submission, co-operation, and hostility) previously identified in studies of lone sexual assault [Alison and Stein, Vicious Circles: Accounts of stranger sexual assault reflect abusive variants of conventional interactions. J Forensic Psychiatry 12: 2001]. These themes have also been identified in many other forms of human relating [Wiggins, An informal history of the interpersonal circumplex tradition. J Pers Assess 66: [217][218][219][220][221][222][223][224][225][226][227][228][229][230][231][232][233] 1996] and conform to a structure known as the interpersonal circumplex. The circumplex has previously been used to conceptualise the relationships between individuals in terms of dynamic interactions that are mutually influencing. Thus, dominance elicits submission and submission elicits dominance. Each interpersonal style could be further subdivided according to the use of either verbally or physically abusive strategies. Point-Biserial correlations with other aspects of the offence (e.g., mobility of the group, post-offence treatment of the victim) provided additional support for these conceptually different themes and demonstrated that gang rape represents a distorted and violent form of interpersonal relating. Further, this dynamic interaction emerges not just at an individual level, but at a group level, suggesting that the thematic concepts underpinning the interpersonal circumplex can be extended to group activity and sexually aggressive behaviour. Aggr. Behav. 30:449-468, 2004. Previous descriptive studies of gang rape have examined the frequency of various behavioural occurrences within group sexual assaults. Both Wright and West [1981] and Amir [1971] revealed that a large proportion of group rapes involve force and subsequent injuries to the victim, with approximately one-fifth involving the use of a weapon. Furthermore, a
The present study examined how decisions, actions, and orders combine to act as influence strategies that occur throughout different stages in gang rape. Thirty-nine gang rape cases, yielding 120 offenders, were coded according to each individual's level of involvement at each stage in terms of decisions, actions, and orders. The various combinations of these were examined using a multidimensional scaling procedure. This revealed that the behaviors form a partially ordered scale of influence in which involvement in the approach and/or disposal of the victim were the most significant stages of the offense. Individual scores on this scale revealed that in 37 of the cases, one individual scored significantly higher on the scale than his co-offenders. The scale successfully identified leaders in 37 of the 39 groups, with leaders scoring significantly higher on the scale than followers (other group members). The results and implications are discussed.Amir (1971) stated that leadership is an essential element of gang behavior, because leaders are the creators and/or manipulators of the gang's goals. However, despite the extensive social psychological research of leadership, it remains unclear precisely how influence is exerted over others. The present study examines the constituents of leadership using a framework that considers leadership qualities according to degree and not as an either/or dichotomous trait. Thus, different individuals may be considered as possessing degrees of influence over others rather than having either no ability or absolute ability in influencing others. The study examines this proposed scale of influence using the example of gang rape to see how the offense is controlled by the gang members at each stage of 475 Downloaded from 0 J 96 60 J 84 0 J 84 0 J 76 0 J 60 60 J 60 52 J 56 52NOTE: J scores are scores on the joint axis (level of influence). L = leader (highest scorer in group), F = follower. Data shown in bold indicate groups that showed no discernible leader due to two members obtaining equally high J scores.
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