The Effects of Low Self-Control and Childhood Maltreatment on Stalking Victimization among Men and Women

• Published in: American journal of criminal justice Vol. 34; no. 3-4; pp. 181 - 197
• Main Authors: Fox, Kathleen A., Gover, Angela R., Kaukinen, Catherine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.12.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavior Problems; Child abuse & neglect; Childhood; Childhood Factors; College Students; Comparative studies; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Gender differences; Law and Criminology; Self Control; Sex Differences; Stalking; Victimization; Victims; United States > US; Sex differences; Childhood maltreatment; College students; Self-control; Stalking victimization
• ISSN: 1066-2316; 1936-1351
• DOI: 10.1007/s12103-009-9064-4

This study examines sex differences among stalking victimization using two theoretical perspectives: self-control and the intergenerational transmission of violence. A sample of 1,490 undergraduate students at a large southeastern university were surveyed and asked to report their experiences with stalking, childhood maltreatment, and self-control. Given that men and women may experience stalking, self-control, and child maltreatment differently, logistic regression models were estimated separately to disentangle sex differences. Findings indicate that women are more likely than men to be victims of stalking. Childhood maltreatment was significantly related to stalking victimization for both men and women whereas low self-control was significantly related to stalking victimization for women only. Implications for policy and directions for future research are discussed.