An Exploration of Gender Differences in Measurement of Fear of Crime

Abstract

Most studies that investigate differences in fear of crime between men and women assume measurement invariance. This study explores gender differences in two different scales that measure fear of crime—a four-item factor from a survey of 1,918 southern Californians and an eight-item factor from a statewide survey of 4,245 Californians. Measurement invariance of these factors is assessed with two structural equations modeling techniques—a two-groups confirmatory factor analysis and a test for differential item function. Significant gender differences are found in the measurement of fear of crime. These are explained by the presence of items that measure fear of crimes with the potential for physical harm, particularly sexual assault. The findings suggest that gender differences in fear of crime may be overestimated by a factor of two if differential item function is ignored.