Cluster analysis identifies key predictors of victim impact statement submission in sexual assault cases, implying complex victim participation dynamics.
Victim impact statements (VISs) describe the impacts of the crime on the victim. Little is known about variables associated with who submits VISs or the formats used for submission. To explore the circumstances under which victims of sexual offenses deliver VISs, we applied cluster analysis to 404 Canadian sexual assault sentencing rulings for adult offenders from 2016 to 2018. Clusters were generated based on the gender of people who delivered VISs, the format of VISs, and number of statements. Five distinct groups emerged, suggesting a complex pattern of factors predicting VIS submission, raising questions about victim participation in justice processes.
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Dufour et al. (2026) studied this question.
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