INTERNET FACILITATED RAPE: A MULTIVARIATE MODEL OF OFFENCE BEHAVIOUR

Abstract

Recent statistics report a significant increase in individuals reporting they have been raped by a stranger they met through the Internet (Internet facilitated rape or IFR). Previous literature has primarily focused on child victims; hence, the overriding aim of this study is to further our understanding of IFR in terms of crime scene behaviour. One hundred and forty-four IFR cases and two comparative samples of age-matched stranger rapists (confidence approach and surprise approach) were coded for 38 crime scene behaviours. Findings suggest that the platforms IFR offenders used to meet their victims were not suggestive of the behaviour they were likely to display. In terms of specific offence behaviours, the IFR and confidence approach rapists were considerably similar, but both samples were comparatively different from the surprise approach rapists. Thus, this may indicate that the method of approach used by a stranger rapist has a significant effect on the subsequent rape crime scene behaviour displayed regardless of any prior contact. A smallest space analysis of the IFR sample revealed three distinct themes of behaviour, criminal sophistication, interpersonal involvement and violence with 71% of offenders displaying one dominant theme. The practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.