Lancaster University’s Dr Jude Towers to speak at IPSCJ seminar

On Thursday 2 July, the University of Northampton’s Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice will welcome Dr Jude Towers from Lancaster University for a free lunchtime seminar.

Dr Towers, a Senior Research Associate, will share her research insights in a seminar  entitled Reappraising the measurement of violence.

The unit of measurement makes a significant difference to the gender ratio, frequency and severity of different forms of violence. Thus the unit of measurement also makes a significant difference to the proportion of ‘violent crime’ committed by domestic relations, and against women, compared to that committed by acquaintances or strangers and against men.

Dr Towers research analysed the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) face-to-face Victim Form data using three different units of measurement: prevalence (respondent’s victimisations are counted once no matter how many times they have been victimised); capped incidents (a respondent’s multiple victimisations are counted up to five – current Office for National Statistics (ONS) crime estimation methodology); and all incidents reported by respondents (i.e. no capping). It was found that by using all reported incidents to generate national estimates of violent crime, the importance of high frequency victims is revealed. These victims are more often women victimised by someone known compared to men victimised by a stranger. The inclusion of high frequency victims thus significantly changes the ‘mainstream’ picture of ‘violent crime’, and by utilising the ‘mainstream’ measure of crimes, rather than victims or patterns of coercive control, the pattern of violent crime against women is extended beyond that of domestic relations.​

The talk is based on work carried out with Prof Sylvia Walby and Prof Brian Francis as part of an ESRC-funded Secondary Data Analysis Initiative (ES/K002899/1).

The event, which is open to staff, students and the public, will be held at Sunley Conference Centre at Park Campus, Boughton Green Road, Northampton, NN2 7AL. A complimentary buffet lunch is available 12:30-12:45pm and the seminar will conclude with questions at 1:45pm.

Reserve your place online. For further information regarding the Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice, visit their website​.