Title: Debunking Myths About Gender, Race and Murder | Psychology Today
Headings: Debunking Myths About Gender, Race and Murder
Scott A. Bonn Ph.D.
Debunking Myths About Gender, Race and Murder
Reality is not what you might think.

Content: The victimization rate for males (11.6 per 100,000 persons) was nearly four times higher than the rate for females (3.4 per 100,000). Although homicide victimization rates are much higher among men than women, the rank of homicide as a cause of death is similar for men and women of all age groups. Also, firearms are the most common method of homicide for both male and female victims. Recent research indicates that having a gun in the home increases the chances that the owner (whether male or female) will become a victim of homicide inside the home. There are also myths that include both race and gender. For example, there is a pervasive myth in our society that young, white females have the greatest risk of becoming murder victims of all demographic groups. This myth is perpetuated in both fact and fiction by the media which greatly exaggerate the prevalence of attractive, young, white, female victims in their homicide stories. For important sociological reasons, an attractive, young, white, female murder victim evokes great interest, concern and sympathy among the general public. High viewership by the public leads to increased advertising revenue for television networks, so the news and entertainment media prioritize and promote stories involving pretty, white, female murder victims. In reality, however, a white female is the least likely of all demographics to be a homicide victim.