Coping with Life Stress Injustice and the Question “Who Is Responsible?”. In: Steensma H, Vermunt R, editors. Social Justice in Human Relations. Boston: Springer US; 1991. pp. 9-30. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4899-2629-6_2]

Linking the Momentary Processing of Injustice to Intraindividual Change in Dispositional Victim Sensitivity

We investigated how the dispositional sensitivity to becoming the victim of injustice (victim sensitivity) is linked to the momentary processing of injustice and how such processes predict dispositional change. In two samples ( N = 149, N = 513), we combined four dispositional assessments across students’ first year at university, with intensive assessments given on a weekly (Study 1) or daily (Study 2) basis at the beginning of the first semester. We assessed how frequently injustice from a victim perspective was perceived and ruminated about (Studies 1 and 2), and how intensely anger was experienced in reaction (Study 2). These indicators of momentary processes were tested as correlates of baseline victim sensitivity and as predictors of dispositional change. The intensity of anger reactions predicted dispositional change in victim sensitivity after 4 months, but not earlier or later, and did not generalize to predict change in neuroticism. These findings are in line with recent theorizing about personality development, emphasizing the relevance of patterns of momentary processes for understanding dispositional change.

Human trafficking: The relationship between government efforts & survivor punishment

Human trafficking is a global public health and human rights issue, although it remains unknown how governmental-level systems impact survivors of human trafficking. Survivor punishment (where federal or local officials arrest, fine, imprison, deport, or otherwise punish survivors) is evident even with global promotion of survivor-centred approaches to human trafficking. This study serves as an initial investigation of how government involvement in survivor services and prevention progress are related to survivor punishment. This cross-national study utilised the 2011 Human Trafficking Indicators. Although this dataset heavily relies on the U.S. TIP reports, our analyses are guided by a human rights framework that recognises the importance of prevention and partnerships in mitigating the vulnerability of survivors. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine factors associated with survivor punishment. Findings indicate that countries categorised by the U.S. as showing substantial prevention progress have a lower likelihood of survivor punishment (OR =  0.30; 95% CI [0.15, 0.62]). Government survivor service offering was not significantly associated with punishment (OR = 0.65; 95% CI [0.33, 1.28]). Findings call for the development of global measures resulting from international partnerships to characterise stocks and flows of human trafficking, as well as the quality and effectiveness of governmental efforts and partnerships.

The Role of Injustice in the Elicitation of Differential Emotional Reactions

Data from a large-scale study on emotional experiences in 37 countries are used to examine correlates of emotion-antecedent events being judged as unfair or unjust. This study included 2,921 students who reported situations in which they had experienced joy, anger; fear, sadness, disgust, shame, and guilt and described their situation appraisals and reactions. Anger-producing events were most frequently perceived as very unfair followed by disgust, sadness, fear, guilt, and shame. The results showed strong main effects of the perception of injustice for all negative emotions. Events experienced as unjust were described as more immoral, more obstructive to plans and goals, and having more negative effects on personal relationships. In addition, events regarded as unjust elicited feelings that were longer in duration and more intense. It is concluded that perceived injustice plays a powerful role in the elicitation of many different negative emotions and may serve as a mediating variable in emotion-antecedent appraisal.

“… for I am a stranger” Ethnic origin and perceived risk of victimization 1The data reported in this article were collected in the project “Victimization and Trust in the System - Business People Confronted with General Crime and Extortion”. The project was conducted by the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony, Hannover, and was supported by a fund of the Volkswagen Foundation (Az.: II/ 70 213). The project was headed by Thomas Ohlemacher, collaborators were Eberhard Mecklenburg and the author. Furthermore the author wishes to thank Margit E. Oswald, Rainer Strobl and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper as well as Janina S. Clauss for editing the English

This paper focuses on the question whether perceiving oneself as a victim of ethnically motivated conflicts or offenses is particularly a problem of ethnic minorities. It is further discussed how this is connected to the generally perceived risk that members of one's own ethnic group may experience ethnically motivated crimes. The results obtained through a survey of restaurateurs across Germany (N = 3,741) in autumn/winter 1995/96 on behalf of the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony are presented. Germans and foreigners of different ethnic origin (Greek, Italian, Turkish) who had established their own gastronomic business were asked (among other things) about their experiences of criminal victimization and their assessment of the risk. Turkish respondents assessed their ethnic group to be far more at risk than did Greek or Italian respondents, although the numbers of ethnically motivated assaults they reported were comparable.