Many people know at least one person who has experienced some form of sexual assault. This may be the case, but a plethora of stigmata still exist around the event. Perhaps part of this is because of the lack of true awareness of rape, or even a deep set fear that can more easily be dismissed with alternate explanations. Rape is not a docile subject; rather, it is controversial and very intense. Most people think of rape as forced sexual intercourse when really it is broader than this. Rape: Sexual contact that is accomplished through emotional or physical “force or threat of force.”
-Girls who are raped wear provocative clothing, act sexy, and are in places they shouldn’t be; they bring it upon themselves.
-Rapists are crazy people who are obvious to spot.
-People are raped in dark alleys at odd hours of the night.
-Rapists are strangers to the victim.
-Women cannot be raped by a person they have had sex with before.
Now, here are some statistics:
In Denver alone, two thousand one hundred twenty-one people reported forcible and other sexual offenses in 2009 and 2010. Nationally, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will experience sexual assault at some point during their lifetime. Every 2 minutes a person is sexually assaulted in the United States and 60% of victims do not report sexual assault/rape. Of these cases, only 6% of rapists spend a single day in jail. For those who believe rape is committed by a perfect stranger, three-quarters of sexual assaults are committed by a non-stranger. Thirty-eight percent of rapists are a friend or acquaintance and 28% are an intimate partner of the victim. More shockingly, 7% of rapists are a relative of the victim. Finally, 33% of rapes happen between 6 am and 6 pm. It is obvious from these statistics that rape is not uncommon, always perpetrated by a perfect stranger, or consistently an event of the darkest night. These statistics communicate the true presence of rape and the ways in which it can occur, but what about the psychological effects on the victim?
A seventeen-year-old girl was left pregnant with twins by her rapist: her boyfriend’s best friend. She trusted him as much as her boyfriend and found herself alone with him in the house the three of them shared. When she woke up on the couch leaning on his shoulder, he was kissing her and, once she realized it was not her boyfriend, he locked her in his bedroom.
“He pushed my skirt up and told me that he was going to ‘fuck me like I deserve to be fucked’. He took off my panties and unzipped his jeans. I couldn’t stop crying, I kept asking him to stop and to let me go, but he just laughed at me and told me to stop acting like a baby... I can remember the pain, it felt like I was being ripped apart. I screamed, I begged him to stop, but it was useless.”
With his weight and violence, there was nothing she could do to stop what was happening. When she was finally free from his weight, fist, and grasp, he made it clear that death would be her next life choice if she told anyone about what he did. No relief comes to her because she has never told anyone and she can no longer handle the thoughts on her own. She avoids him as best she can, but every day is a flashback because they still live in the same house; “Sometimes he comes up to me touches my [pregnant] stomach, just to let me know that he's watching me.” The poor girl cries for someone to talk to, but is petrified to do so.
This survivor is a prime example of a rape victim when it comes down to psychological effects. At first, she was crying, physically sore, and afraid; all part of a long list of initial effects from rape. Others include shock, emotional numbness, shaking, headaches, nausea, hyper vigilance, anxiety, anger, depression, shame, difficulty performing every day tasks, preoccupation with thoughts or feelings about the assault, and avoidance of those who remind them of the assault. Although she does not state specifically why, the survivor from the story is no longer able to deal with the trauma on her own. It is possible that some of the reasons lie in longer-term effects such as increased fears and anxiety, problems sleeping, flashbacks, decreased concentration, somatic complaints, and increased isolation.
Given the mental effects of rape, what is the best way to treat victims of rape and sexual assault? There many different types of therapy out there for rape and sexual assault victims, but the most common are individual and group therapy. The problem is, not all therapy centers are entirely effective or even considered due to some serious problems the victims see with the centers. Many of these problems are seen in both rural and urban areas. Some of the most common issues people have with seeking assistance after rape are the cost of treatment being too high, that they did not even know the resources existed, the names of the services being too intimidating, bureaucracy, and perceptive concerns.
In a survey of rape victims in rural and urban areas performed by Logan, Evans, Stevenson, and Jordan in 2005, the researchers examined more closely the reasons for survivors not seeking help or treatment regarding their rape experience. First, for many service providers, health insurance is required, some of which do not cover the necessary entities that aid in recovery. Second, the topic of rape is not an openly discussed topic making it much more difficult (or less thought about) to find an aid center. Much of this problem stems from the negative and incorrect perceptions about rape leading to limited education of the topic. Also, what may seem as a non-significant issue are the names of certain rape assistance centers. Many include in the title words such as “crisis” or “trauma.” Many survivors can interpret this as a service for those in need of urgent care and in immediate danger only. For survivors that do not discuss the issue for a long period of time and later decide it is necessary to do so, rape “crisis/trauma” centers may deter them further. Next, there exists a strong bureaucracy within rape treatment centers. That is to say, clients must tell their stories with gruesome detail more than once before actually obtaining an appointment with a counselor. The most prominent concerns surrounding seeking counseling are based in the perception of rape from both staff members and the community. Concerns that no one will believe the story or that others will place blame on the victim (particularly if the perpetrator was a known acquaintance) are very common. It is frequent in assistance centers for some staff members to be insensitive. Clients have reported cruelness and lack of focus on the help the victim really needs. It is obvious why survivors of rape are reluctant to look for help when they hear this many poor reviews of rape help centers.
There are only seven hotlines across the state of Colorado, only one of which is a comprehensive center for treatment and awareness, the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP). For the first time since their conception in 1983, RAAP studied data they have been collecting for years using the help of the University of Denver’s research methods class in the undergraduate psychology department. Each student in the class, including myself, looked at different sets of data related specifically to demographics and mental health of the clients attending RAAP. The purpose of this was to obtain a fresh look at a rape-crisis centers and determine ways to improve their services. Depending on the variables each student examined, each discovered and suggested different ways to approach treatment. For example, I examined the legal status of a reported offense in relation to scores on a mental health scale. Upon completing statistical analyses, I concluded that further study should be pursued with more specific diving into legal proceedings and its effects on mental health. If more studies such as this are performed, a whole new realm to psychological treatment following a rape could lead to more effective ways in treating patients.
Some suggestions from Logan and colleagues’ study included, “education and training, peer support, changes in the judicial system, and expanded resources” in relation to the service providers in particular. The most common suggestion was to improve and increase education about rape in communities. If this is accomplished, ideally in all communities, the overall mental health of a city, state, and even a country will be improved. If not a choice, this improvement is a responsibility of the United States, and Colorado so as to ultimately improve this well being. Improvement of existing facilities is the first step, however, once these improvements have been made, it is necessary to increase the number of facilities which treat survivors and provide education of rape. This will allow for more people who have experienced any form of sexual assault to seek help and benefit more effectively.
Think about the thirteen year old girl who experienced incest by her uncle who made her believe it was okay. About the boy who’s coach molested him in the locker room after basketball practice. The woman who has permanent scars across her face and legs from the person she could not identify after dinner with a friend. Like me, you probably know a survivor who is still struggling with what happened to them years ago. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to refer them with confidence to a place that can truly help them overcome the trauma? While being a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen to their story is essential to their improvement, survivors of rape and sexual assault frequently need professional care as well.
If you know a person who has been raped/sexually assaulted, it is important to understand the steps you can help them take.
DO: Assure your friend that it was NOT her/his fault
DO: Assure your friend that she/he did the right thing to survive, whatever that was.
DON'T: Focus your feelings on revenge toward the assailant.
DON'T: Expect your friend to be the same as she/he was before the assault.
DON'T: Tell your friend that she/he "should just get over it." Healing from sexual assault is a long and individual process.
If you have been raped, here are some steps you can take:
-Ensure your personal safety.
-Seek medical attention.
-Call the police and/or a rape crisis hotline
-Do not bathe or otherwise disturb evidence.
-Stay calm and write down the details of the assault.
-If you suspect you have been drugged, go IMMEDIATELY to a hospital emergency room and request appropriate tests.
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