Additionally, our findings provide support for the importance of sexrelated victimization with regard to imposition of a death sentence. When sex-related variables were controlled, much of the observed female effect diminished, which suggests that the sexual nature of female victimization, in particular the degradation and humiliation of the victim, is the key to understanding the female victim effect. On a related note, whereas victim race effects were the result of prosecutorial decision making, the observed victim gender effects were the result of jury decision making. Baumer, Woodworth, and Pulaski (2000) report a similar set of findings; in effect, different victim characteristics seem to matter at different decision-making points. It may very well be that the sexually degrading nature of some female victimizations evokes strong sympathy from jury members, but as mentioned, this can only be inferred because of the small number of cases.