Juvenile sexual assault victims and their decisions not to cooperate with the prosecution: A look at San Diego (California)

The purpose of this study was to test the ability of the feminist perspective to explain juvenile sexual assault victims' decisions regarding cooperation with prosecution. The feminist perspective was tested using variables that measured victim and case characteristics that have been identified in past research as being important for examining at the treatment of sexual assault victims by the criminal justice system and how that treatment affects the decisions of victims to participate in the criminal justice system. This study used sexual assault incidents involving female juvenile victims reported to the San Diego Police Department between 1995 and 2001, and narrative statements made by victims to officers regarding the circumstances surrounding their assault. The results of this study indicated that location of the incident and the relationship between the victim and offender had a significant effect on the victims' decisions to cooperate with prosecution. The results of this study provide some support for the feminist perspective.