ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents sexual violence victims, since understanding the perspectives of detectives and the challenges they face as they investigate reported rapes may alleviate some degree of revictimization. In rape-prone societies, rape occurs frequently, men use rape to punish or threaten women, or rape is a ceremonial act. In order to better understand rape and the processing of rape cases through the criminal justice and legal systems, it is essential to explore the perceptions and experiences of professionals who work with rape victims. In the United States, there are three key ways statistics about rape and sexual assault are gathered: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Report (UCR), the Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), and the Center for Disease Controls National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS).