Target for Potential Killer

The murder of a Manhattan graduate student in 2006 gained much attention not only for the brutality of the act but also for its location. The 24-year-old woman was chatting with her friend in a local bar till 2:30 A.M. After the friend left, the woman left for another bar half an hour later. Her friend could not contact her after that. Around 17 hours later, an unknown caller informed the police about a body lying near a road. The woman was found brutally murdered by suffocation. Evidence suggested that she might have also been raped and assaulted by the murderer.

What made the victim a suitable target for a potential killer? How could she have decreased her likelihood of victimization? In your opinion, could she have facilitated or precipitated her own murder? Provide a rationale for your answer. What could have she done to avoid landing in this situation? Cite at least two examples in which a "victim" overcame his or her victimizer.