Rape Against Adolescent and Emerging Adult Females

• Date: 01 December 2015
• Author: Callie Marie Rennison,Lynn A. Addington
• Published date: 01 December 2015
• DOI: 10.1177/1525107115623940
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Rape Against Adolescent

and Emerging Adult

Females: Using NIBRS

to Compare Contexts

and Inform Policy

Callie Marie Rennison

1

and Lynn A. Addington

2

Abstract

Increased research attention to sexual violence in recent decades has resulted in

greater understanding about these crimes. This work consistently finds that younger

females are at the greatest risk for sexual assault and that certain correlates are

related to sexual violence. Little is known about the situational contexts in which

sexual assault, particularly rape, occurs as well as possible differences between ado-

lescent and emerging adult female victims. We analyze 2012 National Incident-Based

Reporting System (NIBRS) data using conjunctive analysis of case configurations to

identify the situational contexts most commonly occurring for these age-groups for

rapes reported to police. We also discuss the policy implications of our findings and

how NIBRS might be used to better inform policy.

Keywords

rape, violenceagainstwomen,situationalcontext,conjunctiveanalysisof caseconfigurations

Introduction

Increased research attention to sexual violence in recent decades has resulted in

greater understanding about these crimes. Certain consistent findings have emerged

1

University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA

2

American University, Washington, DC, USA

Corresponding Author:

Callie Marie Rennison, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO 80204, USA.

Email: callie.rennison@ucdenver.edu

Justice Research and Policy

2015, Vol. 16(2) 165-184

ªThe Author(s) 2016

Reprints and permission:

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DOI: 10.1177/1525107115623940

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regardless of the specific type of sexual violence considered or the data used to study

it.

1

Sexual violence is largely committed against females (e.g., Bachman & Saltzman,

1995; Black et al., 2011; Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1985; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000;

Truman & Rand, 2010). More specifically, sexual violence is a crime against primar-

ily young women. Research consistently shows that younger females are sexually vic-

timized at rates higher than older females. For example, data from the National Crime

Victimization Survey (NCVS) indicate that, from 2005 to 2010, 12- to 17-year-old

females were sexually victimized at a rate of 4.1 per 1,000 and 18- to 34-year-old

females were victimized at a statistically equal rate of 3.7 per 1,000 (Planty, Langton,

Krebs, Berzofsky, & Smiley-McDonald, 2013). In contrast, females aged 35–64 years

were victimized at a rate of 1.5 per 1,000. Similar conclusions can be drawn based on

studies examining age of first victimization (Black et al., 2011; Felson & Cundiff,

2014; Masho & Ahmed, 2007; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006).

Given these patterns, researchers have sought to understand sexual violence against

young women, especially those enrolled in college (see Rennison & Addington, 2014,

for a summary). Much of this work has focused on examining the rates of victimiza-

tion or specific correlates related to victimization. Less attention has been devoted to

understanding the situational context of sexual violence committed against young

females—both those who are college-age emerging adults as well as adolescents. The

situational contexts would consider the correlates or characteristics of sexual violence

in a more holistic way to illustrate common ways in which they might combine.

Exploring the situational contexts of sexual violence against younger women, espe-

cially potential differences between adolescents and emerging adults, is important to

inform how rape contexts and risks may change during developmental transitions.

Studying these situational contexts also may help counter rape myths by identifying

various contexts in which rape occurs beyond the stereotypes of so-called ‘‘real rape.’’

By so doing, this information could educate the general public about the contexts of

rape to help victims identify their experiences as rape and allow friends and family to

respond to rape disclosures in a helpful and supportive way. An empirically based

understanding of rape contexts also may help criminal justice personnel to direct nec-

essary services and assist in appropriate forms of evidence gathering.

Background

To place our study into context, we first provide a review of the relevant literature

regarding young women and their victimization risk as well as characteristics associ-

ated with rape and sexual assault.

Victimization Risk Across Developmental Periods

Researchers across disciplines are seeking to better understanding the developmental

period recently identified as ‘‘emerging adulthood’’ that covers ages 18–25 (Arnett,

2000). Arnett (1997) first identified the need to distinguish this age-group as distinct

from adolescence and young adults as emerging adults are more independent in many

166 Justice Research and Policy 16(2)