Coast Crime
Secrets of a
Criminologist
By Alicia Mayer Beverley
Victimology Lesson One: When Opportunity Meets Lifestyle The Scenario
It was midnight and I was driving home from a party, low on petrol, alone, 18 and on a long, dark and unfamiliar road. Sure enough, my crappy little Renault Le Car came to a shuddering halt. As I sat there, I could literally hear my dad in my ear, “Always make sure you have enough petrol in your car. If you don’t plan, plan to fail.” Epic fail. I was hopelessly lost and as it was 1985, there was no mobile phone for me to drag dad out of bed. I sat there and looked at the dark road ahead. Should I get out of the car and start walking? Of course not, too dark and scary out there. At that very moment, headlights came around the bend and were reflected in my rear-view mirror. My heart leapt with relief. Whew – saved! Then I noticed the car was jam-packed with several young men, probably coming from the same party. Boys in packs. They would be full of drink and bravado. My heart was pounding as two of the young men got out of the car. They were shouting and roaring with laughter as they weaved toward me. What do I do now? At the very instant they reached my window, another car came screeching around the bend. The driver slammed on the brakes
and came to a lurching stop alongside my car. Everyone was startled – the boys and I both just stared dumbfounded at the new arrivals. What the? The passenger side window rolled down and two very tough looking women with buzz cuts and leather jackets – I think you know where I’m going with this – leant out and in one sentence took command. “Get the F out of here and go!” It had the desired effect. The boys’ machismo evaporated and they ran back to their car. They peeled out – shouting abuse, tyres screaming and chucking empty beer bottles out the window. The women then drove me to a petrol station, bought me petrol, and we drove back to my car with the jerry can. They sat in their car and watched until I drove off safely. Butch angels – it was a first. But had they saved me from becoming a victim? Or would the boys have done the right thing too? Either way, I found myself at the corner of Crime Street and Opportunity Avenue, and I didn’t need to be there.
The Expert Says... According to internationally renowned criminologist and associate professor at Bond University, Dr Wayne Petherick, my story is an example of risks that some
people take on a regular basis, and of course, is unfortunately very common in young people. The old saying ‘live by the gun, die by the gun’ sums up the reality that a dangerous lifestyle can result in a violent end. Thankfully, that night was a turning point as the fear of what could have happened motivated me to be more careful from then on. Crime Street and Opportunity Avenue meet when lifestyle crosses incident. Check out the two lists below to reduce your potential for becoming a victim of crime. Lifestyle: n Aggresiveness and anger n Emotional outbursts n Hyperactivity, impulsiveness n Anxiety n Addictive behaviors n Self destructive behaviour n Low self-esteem n Depression/emotional problems n Self injury n Dependence or codependence n Sexual promiscuity Incident: Time of occurrence n Location of occurrence n Proximity to other criminal activity n Proximity to criminal, violence, or other aggressive individuals n Availability of weapons n Care and supervision n Victim’s state of mind or perception n Drug and alcohol use n
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