Encountering an Exhibitionist: The Female Victim’s Perspective
- 2 October 2019
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in The Journal of Sex Research
- Vol. 57 (5), 610-623
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2019.1669523
Abstract
Although exhibitionism is thought to be one of the most common sexual offenses, relatively little is known about its victims. The present study aimed to explore the correlates of encountering an exhibitionist, the course of exhibitionist acts, and their impact on the victim. An online survey was completed by 1,075 women, 58.7% of whom had encountered an exhibitionist. Previous victimization had the strongest impact on the probability of encountering an exhibitionist; victims’ habits had no impact. The most frequent type of place where the incidents occurred was green spaces. Most exhibitionists touched their genitals and a third of them talked to the victim. The perpetrators usually did not chase their victims, but those who did were more aggressive. The emotions most frequently reported by the victims as accompanying the incident were surprise, disgust and fear. Taking action to avoid further incidents was reported by 29.0% of the respondents. Few incidents were reported to the authorities (7.0%). The results suggest that the impact of encountering an exhibitionist is in some ways similar to other types of sexual victimization.Keywords
This publication has 52 references indexed in Scilit:
- Why Are Crime Victims at Risk of Being Victimized Again? Substance Use, Depression, and Offending as Mediators of the Victimization–Revictimization LinkJournal of Interpersonal Violence, 2013
- A Characterization of Adult Victims of Sexual Violence: Results From the National Epidemiological Survey for Alcohol and Related ConditionsPsychiatry: Interpersonal & Biological Processes, 2013
- Eyewitness identification evidence and innocence riskPsychonomic Bulletin & Review, 2009
- Exhibitionistic and Voyeuristic Behavior in a Swedish National Population SurveyArchives of Sexual Behavior, 2006
- Interpersonal Violence in the Lives of Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Women: Implications for Health, Mental Health, and Help-SeekingAmerican Journal of Public Health, 2006
- Childhood Sexual Abuse, Relationship Satisfaction, and Sexual Risk Taking in a Community Sample of Women.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2005
- A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effects of High Stress on Eyewitness Memory.Law and Human Behavior, 2004
- Indecent exposure: The impact upon the victim's fear of sexual crimeJournal of Forensic Psychiatry, 1999
- Risk Factors, Self‐Attributions, and Adjustment Problems Among Victims of Sexual Coercion1Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1990
- Date rape and sexual aggression in dating situations: Incidence and risk factors.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1987