Near-death experience: The role of victim reaction in attempted homicide

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of victim resistance in attempted homicide. The study examined 93 cases of attempted homicide. Chi-square analysis revealed that certain behaviors, such as multiple acts of violence and methods of control, are more likely to occur if the victim resists. A multivariate analysis of crime-scene actions was carried out using Smallest Space Analysis. The plot showed three clusters of variables that reflected the offender's perception of the victim as an object, vehicle, or significant person. In the first of these roles, the offender was likely to escalate the level of violence; in the vehicle role, however, the offender employed physical controls and used single acts of violence. Finally, if the victim was personally significant to the offender, the latter was more likely to use verbal control strategies and knowledge of the victim. The implications of victim resistance in light of these role functions are discussed.