Resistance pays, say victims

Press, 18 February 1989, Page 32

Resistance pays, say victims

By

CAROLYN SKOR-

NECK NZPA-AP in Washington Almost three-quarters of the victims of violent crimes who survived made some effort to protect themselves and most believed their resistance was worth while, according to a recent survey. The 100,000 interviewees of the United States Justice Department’s national crime survey had been subjected to either rape, robbery, aggravated assault or simple assault. The report said the methods of the 73 per cent who resisted ranged from attacking the attacker to threatening him or her or screaming from pain or fear.

About a third resisted or tried to capture the

offender, about a quarter ran away or hid, and another quarter tried to persuade or appease the offender. Some tried more than one tactic.

While 63 per cent felt their action helped the situation, 7 per cent said it harmed, 6 per cent said it helped and hurt, 13 per cent said it did neither, and 11 per cent were not sure.

“About three-fifths of the violent crime victims who felt that self-protec-tion helped the situation indicated that their actions helped them avoid injury or greater injury,” the report said. The report cautioned that the findings “should not be used to recommend whether or not victims should defend themselves.”