CRIME AND MASCULINITIES IN AUSTRALIA, GERMANY AND JAPAN

Perpetrators of offences that fit into stereotypical images of 'strang er-danger' appear to be at the basis of crime debates, regardless of e vidence indicating that most reported and (with some likelihood) most unreported attacks, occur between people who know each other. Such ima ges of strange and evil men in the public mind and at the basis of tra ditional concepts of crime prevention concern aspects of masculinities . Attempts at gender-specific theories of crime rarely inform criminol ogical or victimological debates. In this explorative discussion of th e link between crime and masculinities, the most threatening images of 'evil' masculinities are interpreted as constructs symbolising the an tithesis ('other') of legitimate masculinities in patriarchal societie s. Accordingly, the question is investigated whether rising concern ab out 'evil men' in some cultures (or during periods of cultural change) can be linked to a crisis of hegemonic masculinity in the mainstream culture. To explore this assumption, the article compares current crim e problems in the area of interpersonal violent sexual offences in a ' low-crime' country (Japan), a medium-crime' country (Germany) and a 'h igh-crime' country (Australia). The visible differences in the three c ountries are interpreted in a paradigm of crime as an indicator of a c risis of hegemonic masculinity.