characteristics of victims

Victim Traits

If an ability to identify an attacker is important and may aid in knowing what people to avoid and if the ability to recognize what contexts are dangerous, an equally important part of the quotient to recognize is the identification of personal traits that contribute to vulnerability. In fact, your physical and psychological demeanor is one of the most important variables over which you may exercise considerable power and control. That offenders pre-select their victims based upon their perception of the victim’s vulnerability is an important determining factor in sexual assault (Stevens 1994, Hazelwood and Burgess 1995). While vulnerability may be the effect of context variables, vulnerability is just as often a result of the victim's physical condition or traits: youthfulness, size, illness, disability, inebriation, physical fitness, and strength. Vulnerability may also be the effect of psychological traits: passivity, disinclination to assertiveness or aggression, nurturance, and helpfulness.

Therefore, an individual’s physical condition and traits along with her psychological traits are the two components that make up personal vulnerability. There are degrees of vulnerability, and an awareness of this phenomenon and its associated factors may enable you to control those behaviors that may mark you as a likely target.

Target Variables

Steady variable Age One's chronological age is a steady-state constantly changing variable. One cannot control one's age. However, one may improve upon the inevitable weakness or strengths of one's age at a particular life stage by maintaining physically active and healthy life style.

Steady variable Sex In terms of sexual assault, young women, teens, and girls are often the most vulnerable to this crime.

Choice variable Alcohol The decision to consume alcohol and/or drugs and to what extent constitutes one classification of individual-choice personal variables. Observation of context and informed decision-making should govern a woman’s choice to consume.

Choice variable Individual Dispositions The variable includes a woman’s willingness to use force or violence. It also includes the degree in which she feels responsible for what happens to her. While women are often conditioned be culture to behave in a prescribe manner, education may go a long way to ameliorating the negative effects of such conditioning.

Choice variable Fitness The decision to engage in a physical fitness regimen and to maintain a fit body constitutes the second individual-choice variables. Individuals who appear healthy, strong, and confident are less likely to be targeted.

Choice variable Fighting skill The decision to take a self-defense program, to learn a martial art, or to arm one's self constitute the third individual-choice personal variables.

Stable variable Disabilities One's sex and physical disabilities are variables that are mostly unchangeable. One may ameliorate the effects of these variables by physical training and fitness.

Stable variable Victimization history A second such variable is one's victimization history. Research indicates a high rate of revictimization for previously assaulted individuals. One may seek professional counseling and treatment as a means to come to terms with the effects of a previous victimization.

Steady variable	Age	One's chronological age is a steady-state constantly changing variable. One cannot control one's age. However, one may improve upon the inevitable weakness or strengths of one's age at a particular life stage by maintaining physically active and healthy life style.
Steady variable	Sex	In terms of sexual assault, young women, teens, and girls are often the most vulnerable to this crime.
Choice variable	Alcohol	The decision to consume alcohol and/or drugs and to what extent constitutes one classification of individual-choice personal variables. Observation of context and informed decision-making should govern a woman’s choice to consume.
Choice variable	Individual Dispositions	The variable includes a woman’s willingness to use force or violence. It also includes the degree in which she feels responsible for what happens to her. While women are often conditioned be culture to behave in a prescribe manner, education may go a long way to ameliorating the negative effects of such conditioning.
Choice variable	Fitness	The decision to engage in a physical fitness regimen and to maintain a fit body constitutes the second individual-choice variables. Individuals who appear healthy, strong, and confident are less likely to be targeted.
Choice variable	Fighting skill	The decision to take a self-defense program, to learn a martial art, or to arm one's self constitute the third individual-choice personal variables.
Stable variable	Disabilities	One's sex and physical disabilities are variables that are mostly unchangeable. One may ameliorate the effects of these variables by physical training and fitness.
Stable variable	Victimization history	A second such variable is one's victimization history. Research indicates a high rate of revictimization for previously assaulted individuals. One may seek professional counseling and treatment as a means to come to terms with the effects of a previous victimization.