Examining near-repeat victimization hypothesis on threat incidents among children and women

Abstract

Near repeat victimization (NRV) is a criminological phenomenon that makes it easier for the subsequent crime to occur within close spatiotemporal proximity from the occurrence of the first crime. However, this phenomenon is yet to be examined with threat incidents or street harassments including molestation, flashing, and haunting. In this study, we investigated NRV on threat incidents against children and women and examined how NRV trends change with relation to periods of time or characteristics of place. Three findings emerged: (1) NRV can be applied to many types of threat incidents experienced by children and women; (2) the degree of NRV is stronger in periods when the threat incident is frequent; and (3) the degree of NRV is linked to characteristics of places where women are victims of threat incidents, but not so in the case of children. In light of these results, we discussed practical implications to prevent threat incidents against children and women.