Over the past decade, western societies have witnessed an increasing divergence in
living standards of different social groups. This article examines whether
increasing differences in living conditions are reflected in increasing inequality
of victimization. Using data from Statistics Sweden's Surveys of Living
Conditions (1984–2001) the study shows that exposure to crimes of theft
and violence has followed different trends for poorly resourced and well-resourced
groups respectively. The proportion experiencing victimization, first and foremost
in the form of violence and threats but also to some extent in the form of
residential burglaries, is significantly greater among the poor than among the rich.
Furthermore, the difference between these two groups has become greater.
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