The major argument of the research was that women's fear of crime is intensified by stereotypical images of criminals and victims. The author conducted 18 focus groups and 30 interviews in New York City and surrounding suburban areas between fall 1994 and summer 1995. Questions were used as a flexible discussion guide. The participants were selected based on availability and convenience and the use of a revised process of snowballing. Results revealed that the participants' images of criminals and victims were not uniform; nevertheless, some common themes emerged from the participants' narratives. The dominant representations of criminals among all women were those of poor minority men who were out-of-control evil strangers who randomly attack their victims. These women's images of victims were predominantly those of white middle-class women who are innocent, submissive, and unable to protect themselves. Findings suggested that these dehumanized images of criminals restrict public empathy toward offenders, explain why domestic crimes are not considered serious crimes, oversimplify and distort the reality of crime, and control women's lives in varying ways. Table, notes, and 42 references (Author abstract modified)