Perceptions of Harm, Criminality, and Law Enforcement Response: Comparing Violence by Men Against Women and Violence by Women Against Men. Issue 3 (3rd April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Allen, Eric; Bradley, Mindy S.
• Is Part Of: Victims & offenders. Volume 13:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 373
• Page End: 389
• Publication Date: 2018-04-03
• Subjects: Domestic violence -- gender -- intervention -- intimate partner violence; Victims of crimes -- Periodicals; Criminals -- Periodicals; 362.8805
• DOI: 10.1080/15564886.2017.1340383
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1556-4886

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The authors compare third-party evaluations of male violence against women and female violence against men with regard to perceived injury severity, criminal labeling, and recommending police contact. They determine if victim–offender gender directly influences third-party perceptions of injury, and test whether injury mediates victim–offender gender effects on assessments. Injury perception mediated but could not fully explain differences in labeling. Differences in police contact support remained significant after taking injury perceptions into account. Male and female respondents differed in injury evaluations in acts with male victims or female perpetrators, but not in injury rating of male perpetrator or female victim violence. Findings suggest gender stereotypes directly and indirectly influence third-party observers of violence, shaping assessments of injury and ability or willingness to criminalize violence.