Criminal victimization and distress ia the Czech Republic

The authors examine the process by which criminal victimization can affect Czechs' well-being by considering models that include fear of crime, protec tion against crime, avoidance of crime, and controls. The approach merges c riminology with the stress-distress perspective. The sample consists of 703 Czech households in the second wave of a 3-year (1994-1996) panel study. T he authors found that criminal victimization resulted in distress, after co ntrols. For Czech women, fear of crime intervened between victimization and distress by increasing the latter Far men, protection and avoidance interv ened between victimization and distress. Protection reduced the men's depre ssion, whereas avoidance increased both depression and anxiety The effects of criminal victimization on Czechs' distress are direct and indirect and v ary by gender. Interpretations of results rest on the meanings of fear, cri me, protection and avoidance for Czech men and women.