Rape of Older People In The United Kingdom: Challenging The ‘Real Rape’ Stereotype

Bows, Hannah; Westmarland, Nicole

Abstract

Despite extensive research on rape and sexual violence, there exists an important gap in knowledge around older victims. This gap exists in relation to national statistics (the Crime Survey for England and Wales has an upper age limit of 59 for intimate violence), and by both criminologists and gerontologists. This research used an under-utilized method by criminologists—freedom of information requests to police forces. Data were obtained from 45 forces relating to 655 cases of rape and sexual assault by penetration over a five-year period and were analysed in relation to victim and perpetrator age, relationship, location of crime and type of offence. The findings challenge the dominant real-rape stereotypes and have implications for future research, policy and practice.

Citation

Bows, H., & Westmarland, N. (2017). Rape of Older People In The United Kingdom: Challenging The ‘Real Rape’ Stereotype. The British Journal of Criminology: An International Review of Crime and Society, 57(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azv116

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 5, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Nov 24, 2015
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Nov 5, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 15, 2016
• Journal: British Journal of Criminology
• Print ISSN: 0007-0955
• Electronic ISSN: 1464-3529
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 57
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1-17
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azv116
• Keywords: Rape, Sexual assault, Victims, Older victims, Age, Ageing.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1398554