The impact of crime on tourists and the need for greater support for tourist victims
| Author | M Ozascilar,RI Mawby |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/02697580221080006 |
| Published date | 01 January 2023 |
| Date | 01 January 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/02697580221080006
International Review of Victimology
2023, Vol. 29(1) 3 –15
© The Author(s) 2022
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DOI: 10.1177/02697580221080006
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The impact of crime on
tourists and the need for
greater support for tourist
victims
M Ozascilar
Bahçeşehir University, Turkey
RI Mawby
Harper Adams University, UK
Abstract
This article presents the first research to address the impact of crime on citizens who suffer
crime during a vacation. Based on a small sample of US residents victimised while visiting five
different countries, and drawn from a crowdsourcing platform, it is, essentially exploratory.
However, the findings suggest that tourist victims are severely affected by their experiences and
that this impacts their feelings about revisiting the country where the offence occurred. Most
victims reported receiving support from both formal and informal sources, but at the same time
most said they would have appreciated more support. While more research is needed to build
on this study, the findings do underline the need for a greater focus on both crime reduction and
harm minimisation.
Keywords
Victim impact, tourist victims, victim assistance, support for victims, evaluation of services,
tourism policies
Introduction
Recognition of the impact of crime on its victims is reflected in the expansion of victim services
across the world since the 1970s (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), 2015;
Mawby, 2003). These policy developments have largely expanded alongside research on how
Corresponding author:
M Ozascilar, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Bahçeşehir University, Ciragan Caddesi, Osmanpasa
Mektebi Sokak, 34349 Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey.
Email: mine.ozascilar@eas.bau.edu.tr
1080006IRV0010.1177/02697580221080006International Review of VictimologyOzascilar and Mawby
research-article2022
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