Predictors of self-protective behaviors in non-sexual violent encounters: The role of victim sex in understanding resistance

• A variety of demographic and situational characteristics predict resistance.
• Significant predictors are generally in line with a rational choice framework.
• There was little evidence of gender asymmetry between models.

Self-protective behaviors are actions that victims take in a violent encounter to thwart the attack or avoid/minimize injury. This study examines the predictors of self-protective behaviors in non-sexual assault incidents with a particular focus on how the sex of the victim may moderate these conclusions. Non-sexual assault incidents in the National Crime Victimization Survey were analyzed (n = 16,309) and four categories of self-protective behaviors were regressed on a variety of predictors using multivariate probit models. A variety of pre-assault factors (e.g., demographic characteristics), situational characteristics (e.g., location of assault), and the relationship between the victim and offender are associated with the use of resistance. Situational characteristics emerged as the most consistent and strongest predictors of self-protective behaviors. There was little evidence to suggest that separate models for male and female victims were warranted.