Victimization of Women A. Scope of the Problem

A Culture of Victimization Sexual victimization occurs in a social context in which there exist a male dominated power structure. Violent tactics are used against women in order to frighten them into submission. The ultimate goal is domination and control. Sexual terrorism is one form of victimizing women and is defined as a system by which males frighten, thereby controlling and dominating, females.

Components of “Sexual Terrorism:” Ideology The ideology of sexual terrorism is patriarch or rule by the father. Propaganda This ideology is disseminated in all expressions of popular culture such as films, television, music, literature, advertising and pornography. It would be a way of persuading people to perform such act of violence Worse form of propaganda towards women is pornography

Components of “Sexual Terrorism:” Amorality The perpetrator believes that such expressions of violence against women are normal. Voluntary Compliance An elaborate system of sex-role socialization practices that instruct women to be passive victims. society's perception of the terrorist and the terrorized

Pathology of the Perpetrator Masculine ideologies and need for power. Meta-analysis (Murnen et al., 2002). History of abuse or witnessing of abuse (e.g., Christopher, Lutz-Zois, & Reinhardt, 2007; Daigneault, Hebert, & McDuff, 2009; Walker, 2000).

If you could be assured that no one would know and that you could in no way be punished for engaging in the following act, would you Rape a woman? Force a woman to do something sexually that she really didn’t want to do?

Forms of Sexual Terrorism Wife battering Child sexual abuse Rape

Characteristics of sexual terrorism Violence against female cuts across socioeconomic lines Crimes of sexual violence are the least likely to be reported Crimes of violence against females have the lowest conviction rates Blaming the victim of sexual violence is pervasive Sexual violence is not taken seriously