People are victims of crime every day, but there are differences in how certain ethnic groups deal with the victimization. The ethnic groups that may be less likely to report victimization are Asians. If an Asian is victimized by a family member, often the reason for not reporting the crime is that there is a certain amount of shame, humiliation, and degradation associated with being a victim at the hands of a family member (Davis, Lurigio, Herman, 2013). Davis et al. (2013) states “the shame and humiliation is intensified because it is perceived and internalized as a reflection on the honor of the family unit, the extended family, and in the case of some Asian cultures, the family name, extending over thousands of years of ancestry” (p.306). For example, in the Asian culture, a female is no longer a member of her family’s origin when she marries. She becomes sold into her husband’s family and the females in her new family are responsible to ensure sure she does not bring shame or upset her husband. Typical met
hods of enforcement include berating, ignoring, isolating, and physically abusing her until she complies. In addition, her husband can verbally or physically be abusive (Davis et al., 2013).
In the State of Oregon, law enforcement agencies promote outreach programs in an attempt to tackle the barriers among different ethnic groups. Oregon police departments have recognized the importance of finding ways to surpass these barriers with continuing and ongoing efforts. The law enforcement agencies main focus is building trust and familiarity with ethnic community members in hopes of an increased rate of reporting victimization (Critical issues in law enforcement, n.d.).
References
Critical issues in law enforcement. (n.d.). Decreasing crime by increasing involvement: A law enforcement guidebook for building relations in multi-ethnic communities. Retrieved from https://www.pdx.edu/cjpri/sites/www.pdx.edu.cjpri/…
Davis, R. C., Lurigio, A. J., & Herman, S. (Eds.). (2013). Victims of crime (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.