The Police and Sexual Violence: Edited by Jacques de Maillard and Wesley G. Skogan

Abstract

Feminists in France have been denouncing police officers’ behavior towards victims of sexual violence since the 1970s. Police were accused of trying to dissuade women from filing complaints, of showing hostility towards them, and of systematically questioning their testimony. Research in social psychology and criminology has examined the attrition of rape cases as they proceed through the criminal justice system, identifying gender stereotypes along the way. This field study of units specializing in rape investigations finds that the dimensions along which officers prioritize cases are the product of professional routines rather than gender stereotypes. We first examine the factors involved in the degree of police interest in an investigation. These lead officers to value complex cases, those with an unknown suspect, and offenders considered dangerous. Then the chapter moves to their assessment of the dangerousness of suspects. Here they focus on three issues: maintenance of public order, protection against further violence, and the defense of children and families. Finally, we examine the impact of another decisive factor: how the case will be received by the judicial system