Beyond Active/Passive: Using the Interpersonal Circumplex to Re-Conceptualize Victim Behavior During Violent Crime

This study used the interpersonal circumplex (IPC) – a probabilistic model of human behavior during social interactions – to conceptualize victim behavior during physically assaultive crime (domestic violence, physical assault, and sexual assault). Using data from the Australian Database of Victimisation Experiences, 101 victim behaviors were identified across a sample of 150 victim narratives. Categorical Principal Components Analysis and Smallest Space Analysis found that victim behavior during physically assaultive crime aligned with the IPC’s four behavioral styles: dominance, submissive, hostility, and cooperation. These findings provide new opportunities to explore victim agency including how victims may influence the offender and situation.