Introduction
For years, women have always considered men to be their protectors; particularly those they are engaged or married to. As long as there has been delinquency, there have been women who are fearful of criminal acts and certain crimes that turns them into victims. Some people think that if a person grows up in a rough part of town or even live in a bad neighborhood, they are able to stand up to just about anything or anybody; completely immune to any unlawful misconduct that takes place in that neighborhood.
Parenthetically, men and women are susceptible to the same misdeeds, but on different levels. For example, men are often victims of crimes such as armed robbery, mugging, manslaughter and assault. Women are victims of crimes such as rape, mugging, sexual assault and prostitution. It cannot be argued that crimes affect both parties equally if not more so, but there are some who agree that women are the more susceptible to crime between the two.
In theory, there is a way to reduce the amount of crime that women are exposed to, but many know that it is something that they cannot do; stay in their homes without leaving or going anywhere. Many people will agree that women are far more fearful of crime than men and the studies that support that is absolute, it can be argued that women are naturally afraid of certain elements of life and that fear is what makes them a target; that vulnerability is easily detected by those who would use it against them; which makes women fearful of crime.
Body
The fear of crime concept explores how people, particularly women, are more afraid of being a victim of a crime than it actually happening because of chance or probability. For example, a woman who grew up never being taught about crimes at college such as date rape and others, do not worry much about being targeted because of the way she is dressed, but more because of her gender. Many women have felt that they were not in any particular danger while they were walking about the public, but felt more in danger in their community because they are a woman; some people have been known to target women because they lack of the actual strength to fight back.
There are women everywhere who believe that they and their kind are always going to be targets of violence because that is their destiny, some are actually made victims just based on certain aspects that some women tend to overlook. For example, women who are targeted for rape or even sexual assault is because the violent act is being done by someone they know or have known for a very long time. According to Smith & Torstensson (1997), “Women who are not fearful of crime are seemingly the most susceptible because some might fear the fact that they might be eventually targeted” (Smith & Torstensson, 611, 1997).
Hypothetically, women who dress a certain way or even act a certain way are not always made statistics as far as the fear of crime theory goes, a lot of women are just victims of violence purely by chance alone and the fear of crime backs that up. Many people believe that younger women are mostly the ones being targeted because of the lack of protection that they carry with them when they are out alone, it can hardly be argued that if women carried something to protect themselves, they would be less of a target or at least be able to get the upper hand on their attackers; not many think about this when they go out.
Body II
The function of being fearful, in a way, give women a sense of safety when they are out in public or moving about in their own neighborhood and keeps them safe. Most people will be inclined to agree with the fact that functionality of being fearful helps women see the importance of watching their surrounding everywhere they go, this was mandatory way back in the old days; women had a lot more to lose back then versus in the present day. Living in a risk society contributes to the fear of crime because it is not just about women protecting themselves, it consists more of men protecting women. Risk society comprises of people coming together to look out for one another when a large number of women are at risk especially those who have young teen daughters.
As previously mentioned, risk society contributes to the fear of crime because there are young girls who are being targeted and are made victims of sex crimes such as rape and sexual assault. A lot of these young girls that are being targeted are the offspring of powerful not to mention influential businessman and CEOs, a lot of parents as well as grandparents find themselves mobilizing so to speak to find the person who committed a crime against their house so to speak. For example, many men regard women as their own personal property and that of the household, when someone victimizes a woman, the patriarch feels slighted. As a result, they organize lynch mobs or a neighborhood watch in order to keep an eye on everything that is going on within the neighborhood.
Sometimes it is not always enough for groups to make moves toward protecting the women in their neighborhood because they have lives of their own not to mention families to protect, this would seem ideal if there were more than one woman in the community being made a target; most of them are victimized at random.
Body III
In comparison to the function of being fearful and the fear of crime concept, none compares to the fear-risk paradox; those who are more fearful are less at risk for being subjected to a crime. Women who consistently are fearful of anything happening to them are usually not targeted for a mugging or sexual assault because they are the ones that are particularly edgy, woman have made this work to their advantage because they are often saved by other bystanders. According to Jackson (2004), “Some women are victimized at random, there are some who are targeted on purpose; fear is not a weakness if it keeps the woman safe” (Jackson, 949, 2004).
It can be argued that young girls and women who are able to handle themselves are not seen as targets or easily targeted, for those who are put in that situation know how to use being fearful to their advantage so they surprise their attacker or someone coming to their aid. Many women are at risk for becoming victims of violent crimes, but many also know that if they stay within the confines of their home then they are not going to be targeted at all. However, there are exceptions to the rule if they are being stalked by someone who follows them around but does not make a sound or alert that woman to their presence. But, it can be argued that women are no more at risk for getting sexually assaulted just going to their mailbox to get the mail.
Some women are made victims from early childhood and in their early teens, this makes them associate every man or every person wearing black or specific colors to be someone who is out to get them. For example, if a woman was mugged by a man in black clothing, she might be inclined to stay away from people who wear black clothing versus people who wear different color clothes. There are some women that believe that being more fearful makes them less of a target, there are some that know that showing fear makes them more vulnerable. Women who are less fearful are made targets to assert dominance and establish a reason to be afraid.
Body IV
Many females are aware and some may not be aware of the fact that their behavior or the behavior that they are projecting makes them a target, many robbers and muggers are always looking for an easy mark; they do not care if a woman has children with her or even if she is by herself. For example, when a man is a victim of a crime, it can be argued that he invoked someone’s ire; a man carries himself well when he goes out such as the proud way he walks. Also, men tend to carry themselves as if they are carrying something lethal on them such as a gun or even a makeshift weapon that is not meant to kill but stun. A man walks and behaves as if the world should be afraid of him, the way a person walks says a lot about them as far as how vulnerable or invulnerable they seem.
Women on the other hand, are often times made victims of violent crimes because the attackers know when a woman is scared of her environment; she does not trust where she is walking or running around to. An example of this is a woman who is walking really fast to get where she is going, she is looking around everywhere and even looking behind herself every 30 milliseconds. An authentic criminal knows how to corner that woman and get whatever he wants because she is carrying herself in a way that makes her a victim, the way she carried herself was completely wrong. It can be argued that all women who do not carry themselves as men do are made victims of crimes, if a female illustrates fear then she will be preyed upon because the attacker will be able to do whatever they want to her; it cannot be argued many women seek to be strong enough to hold off their attacker but that also requires that they carry themselves in order to do so.
According to Rader & Haynes (2011), “Crime targets women of all kinds, their fear of crime is what keeps them alive” (Rader & Haynes, 292, 2011).
Body V
Many women in the United States are made victims of violence every year and the numbers seem to be growing year by year, some are aware of the dangers while others are completely ignorant to them. Recent studies have shown that 1 in 5 women are made victims of violence over the course of their lifetime, more than half of these women will never report their crime or being a victim to the police out of fear of retaliation. 25% of women who are sexually assaulted never report the assault to the police, the numbers do not lie. Warr explained, “10% of women who are raped, never talk about it and they let the incident rule their lives” (Warr, 467).
Although many women are victims of violence through many different ways, sometimes the statistics can be misleading which would make people question whether the statistic supporting the aforementioned facts are reliable. 1 in 10 women will make excuses to not leave their house so they do not have to worry about being mugged or even being preyed upon, 1 in 3 women do not watch their surrounding when they go out into public. The obscurity of the measurement of crime is absolute, the numbers supporting the facts are interchangeable; there are women who experience fear at different times which would make the statistic unreliable. The statistics surveys do support the fact that women are more fearful of crime than men, the surveys are supportive in helping people realize the real danger to a woman’s life.
Statistically speaking, 30% of women who are mugged and almost raped make it their job to always carry something on them so as to protect themselves. 1 in 3 women refuse to even leave their homes because they are fearful of a repeat performance by their attacker. It cannot be argued that women who are targeted because of the fact that they are women or illustrating scary behavior is that those women have more to lose, women who are maturing or coming into their womanhood are made targets by attackers who feel those women are powerless.
Body VI
There are some theories that supports the idea of women being more fearful of crime than men, the various theories make suggestions that coincide with the fact that women try to avoid certain possibilities of crimes being committed against them. For example, the Routine Activity Theory supports the notion that if a mark is attractive enough to draw any kind of attention to themselves then they will end up being marked for violent crimes. Case in point, Anais is an 18-year-old redhead Hill Valley girl who is rich and beautiful; she is the envy of every girl at her private school. Anais gets mugged and practically raped on her way home from school one day, the criminal chose to mark Anais because she is the most beautiful girl in the valley not to mention very attractive.
Sociobiology theory examines the idea that some behaviors as well as that of people are inherited, this coincides with women being fearful of crime because society frowns on women being bruisers or being seen as the defenders instead of their men being their defenders. Intersectionality theory and women fearful of crime go hand in hand in the aspect that women continuously stay fearful of crime because they are seen as the weaker species, they usually require the help of an additional person in order to feel safe; defending themselves against their attackers is not an action that is practiced. Mostly and as previous mentioned, women are not fortresses of strength; they are viewed by society as weak and timid creatures that easily preyed upon because that is how society views them.
Social Learning Theory explores different notions of criminal activity versus social behavior, a criminal will commit a violent act against a woman if they can sense that she would be an easy mark especially if she is radiating waves of fear as she walks. Many criminals feel their chances of getting away with their crimes against a woman they marked is their reward.
Conclusion
For centuries, women have always been seen as the less powerful figure between her and her husband. Women being fearful of crime is what makes them more susceptible to crime because of their lack of control in the situation, it cannot be argued that many women are targeted because of the way that they project themselves public; it can hardly be argued that a talented and watchful criminal can spot a vulnerable woman a mile away. A lot of women senses that they are being watched and act or in some cases, not act so as to save their lives or save themselves from being targeted.
Of course, fear-risk paradox supports the idea that women who are not seen as weak and timid are the ones being targeted for a violent crime than a woman who, a criminal knows is an easy mark, will not bother with. Ironically, the fear-risk paradox also explores the idea that just the opposite is possible on a chance/possibility. The function of being fearful is, in a way, a woman’s safety net in the aspect that her chances of being targeted is greatly reduced because the fear that the woman is exuding keeps her at the center of everyone’s attention so someone comes to her rescue on a moment’s notice.
The concept of living in a risk society raises the eyebrows of many men who have daughters between the ages of 16 to 19, this concept goes hand in hand with women being fearful of crime because it makes almost every person who has a woman in their life that they want to protect from criminals who would target them; it is a community at large that are coming together for a common goal which is needed to keep the sanctity of women a sacred virtue.
Ultimately, the obscurity of statistics are not reliable based on certain facts because the numbers are interchangeable. Women who are fearful of crime are often safe and devoid of that danger, times have changed and so has a woman’s right to be let alone in public.
Work Cited
Jackson, J. (2004). EXPERIENCE AND EXPRESSION: Social and Cultural Significance in the Fear of Crime. Oxford Journals, 44(6), 949-949. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
Rader, N. E., & Haynes, S. H. (2011). Gendered Fear of Crime Socialization: An Extension of Akers’s Social Learning Theory. Gendered Fear of Crime Socialization: An Extension of Akers’s Social Learning Theory, 6(4), 292-292. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
Smith, W. R., & Torstensson, M. (1997). Gender Differences in Risk Perception and Neutralizing Fear of Crime. Fear of Crime, 37(4), 611-611. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
Warr, Mark. "Fear of Crime in the United States: Avenues for Research and Policy." Ncjrs Criminal Justice. 2000. Web. 4 Apr. 2016. <https://www.ncjrs.gov/criminal_justice2000/vol_4/04i.pdf>.
