Victimization Theories

Question 1

Passive precipitation happens when victims unknowingly encourage interactions leading up to a criminal event. Passive precipitation denotes a situation where a victim in involved in instigating commission of a crime. Sometimes, the physical appearance of an individual are likely to encourage or threaten an attacker, leading to a criminal event. For example, one’s race or physical build may lead to a criminal event. Women are more likely to experience victimization in sexual assaults and rape crimes. They are also more likely to be robbed. Physical appearance expose women to increased levels of crimes compared to men. Their appearance makes them less threatening causing a potential attacker to see an opportunity to commit crime. Additionally, a fearful demeanour may make women more vulnerable to an attack (Siegel 79). For instance, most offenders attacking women are usually people who prefer an easy score. For rape crimes, the physical build of a woman, their dress code, and other physical appearances may expose them to attackers. From the above definition of passive precipitation, women are more likely to “invite” crime because of their vulnerabilities. Such vulnerabilities vary from one crime to the next. However, common triggers include race, ethnicity, physical appearance, demeanour, and a dress code that may be interpreted as provocative. Fearful conduct among women also increases their vulnerability to being attacked. This increases the chances of being victimized given that attackers are aware of some of these vulnerabilities. Siegel (79) also mentions that due to the fact that most of the violent crimes involve males, women become automatic victims on the basis of the perception that they are less threatening, weaker, and easier to handle.

Question 2

Women shopping alone in supermarkets are the suitable targets. They are targeted by an offender acting alone or some acting as a team. They are suitable targets because they are always carrying their clutch bags and are more likely to leave them in the shopping cart, where the offender has easier access. Women shopping alone are targeted because they do not have capable guardians. From the Inside Edition video, there are no victims that are in pairs, rather only those shopping alone. Grocery stores do not have enough security guards to act as capable guardians, making women shopping alone more vulnerable to theft. Other shoppers, supermarket guards, and security cameras can be used as capable guardians (Inside edition). Motivated offenders understand that grocery stores are easy targets because of their lack of capable guardians. Shoppers with earphones and those that have their clutch bags in the shopping cart motivate offenders.

Work Cited

Inside Edition. How Thieves Target Women When They Are Shopping. 2018. Web. 17 Mar. 2021.

Siegel, Larry J. Criminology: The Core. Belmont, USA: Wadsworth, 2017.