Demographic and Situational Factors Affecting Injury, Resistance, Completion, and Charges Brought in Sexual Assault Cases: What Is Best for Arrest?

Abstract

This study examines demographic and situational factors in an effort to predict whether or not a complainant was injured, used resistance, experienced a completed assault, and whether charges were brought against the offender. If the accused had consumed alcohol or drugs, he was almost seven times more likely to be arrested. The complainant was six times more likely to report rape completion if she had consumed alcohol or drugs and if the complainant fell unconscious at any time during the attack she was significantly less likely to use a resistance strategy. The complainant's use of a compliance strategy at any time during the assault positively predicted not using a physical resistance strategy and sexual assault completion. The reporting of injury positively predicted use a physical resistance strategy and sexual assault completion. If the assault was completed, it was less likely that charges were pressed. Implications of these findings are discussed, and directions for future research are offered.

Characteristics of victims and assaults of sexual violence – Improving inquiries and prevention

“…Contrariwise, Ullmann and Siegel found 49% of stranger-rapes completed among an interviewed female population with no emphasis on unfounded allegations, though. 52 Contrary to Scott and Beaman, 35 but similar to Brecklin and Ullman, 54 we did not find associations between alcohol consumption and reported intercourse completion.…”

“…52,53 The other two hypotheses were confirmed as mostly young people were assaulted in public, and knowing the perpetrator caused more completed sexual intercourses. In concordance with Scott and Beaman, 35 assault by strangers could be characterised as an attempt with either a good chance of escape or a hopeless setting was chosen by the perpetrator due to impulsive action. Contrariwise, Ullmann and Siegel found 49% of stranger-rapes completed among an interviewed female population with no emphasis on unfounded allegations, though.…”

“…This is a common concern in sexual violence research based on cases known to the police and medical examiner. 35 Taken the resulting underreporting issue into consideration, both the incidence rate and ''dark figure" must be underestimated in relation to the ''real" number of cases because of selection bias. On the other hand, the WHO definition used has a broader range than in many other studies, hence overestimating the comparable incidence, but it is necessary to get as close as we can to the real figure of sexual violence.…”

“…Furthermore, studies concerned with risk factors of sexual violence are very rare, 35 but studies of interpersonal violence show that assaults by strangers imply more severe violence, and that young people are more often assaulted in public places. [36][37][38] We speculate that this is also true for victims of sexual violence.…”

Rape: When the Exam Is Normal

“…Conversely, if the victim is drunk, as in this report, it impairs her ability to resist and less violence may be needed to complete the sexual assault. 19,24 This may explain reports, which show that victims of drug-facilitated sexual assault have fewer genital and non-genital injuries than the general rape population. 25 As so amply illustrated by this case, violence may not be needed or used by the offender.…”