Predicting fear of crime: A test of the shadow of sexual assault hypothesis

Abstract

Criminologists have indicated that gender is one of the strongest predictors of fear of crime. The leading explanation for gender differences in fear of crime levels is the shadow of sexual assault hypothesis, claiming that women's fear of sexual assault is one of the most salient factors influencing their fear of other crimes. Using a sample of 1,051 university students, this study examines the predictors of fear of crime in Sweden by testing the shadow of sexual assault hypothesis. Like the work of Ferraro, the current study suggests that the fear of sexual assault shadows the fear of other offenses, especially crimes that involve face-to-face contact between victims and offenders. Across all models, perceived risk is a consistent predictor of fear of crime among university students. © The Author(s) 2013. © 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.