Rape is a serious problem with increasing occurrences. It is defined as “forcible sexual intercourse with a person who does not give consent” (Santrock, 2012). However, the legal definition of rape differ from state to state (Santrock, 2012). According to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, RAINN, as of 2014 there are an average of 237,868 victims of rape and sexual assault each year (RAINN, 2014). With 525,600 minutes in a year, someone gets raped every 2 minutes. These numbers are astounding! However, they are greatly underrepresented because 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police. Rape or sexual assault can occur to anyone including women, children, and men, gay or straight.
RAPE AMONGST FEMALES
Rape is a very traumatic experience for the victims. One in six American females will suffer from sexual assault or rape (RAINN, 2014). Females, along with males usually suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, pregnancy and many more (RAINN, 2003). In addition, victims “may suffer from adverse emotional consequences including feelings of ongoing fear, low-self esteem, self-blame, guilt and shock” (Branch et. all, 2013). Moreover, the largest group people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder are survivors of sexual assault (Reid-Cunningham, 2009).
Even more shocking is the statistic that “15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12; 29% are age 12-17; 44% are under age 18” and 80% are under age 30 (USDOJ). The ages 12-34 are the highest risk years (USDOJ). Furthermore, violence between intimate partners causes U.S. women to collectively lose about $727 million in wages from about 8 million days missed of work (“Facts about Violence”). While violence in w...
... middle of paper ...
... October 10). Against his will: Female-on-male rape. CNN. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/living/chris-brown-female-on-male-rape/
Male Survivors - Rape and Sexual Abuse Survivors Message Board and Chat Room. (n.d.). Male Survivors - Rape and Sexual Abuse Survivors Message Board and Chat Room. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://www.aftersilence.org/male-survivors.php
Reid-Cunningham, A. R. (2009). Parent--Child Relationship And Mother's Sexual Assault History. Violence Against Women,15(8), 920-932.
Santrock, J. W. (2002). A topical approach to life-span development. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
USDOJ: Office on Violence Against Women. (n.d.). USDOJ: Office on Violence Against Women. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/
Understanding the Perpetrator. (n.d.).Welcome. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://sapac.umich.edu/article/196
According to the authors of “Enhancing Care and Advocacy for Sexual Assault Survivors on Canadian Campuses”, “Sexual assault has immediate and long-term health consequences for victims including suicide, HIV infection, depression, and social isolation,” (Quinlan, Clarke, and Miller). Another common side effect these victims face is post-traumatic stress disorder. Someone experiencing PTSD may have random outburst of anger, have trouble concentrating on day to day tasks, or may even have flashbacks of their attack. These consequences make it hard for victims to get back into the normal routine of everyday life (“Effects of Sexual Assault”). In a case at Amherst College a young women named Angie Epifano faced many of these consequences after she was raped by an acquaintance in one of the college’s dormitories. While immediately choosing to ignore what had happened to her Epifano soon became an emotional wreck. Before the attack Epifano had believed herself to be an extremely strong and independent individual. In an article done on Epifano’s story she stated “Everything I had believed myself to be was gone in 30 minutes,” (Epifano). Sexual assault takes away a piece of someone. With their hopes and dreams clouded by the tragedy they have endured, victims face a lifetime of
"Violence against women-it's a men's issue." Jackson Katz:. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. .
In what is sure to be a very solemn matter for all American students and their families across the country , in January 2013 , President Obama, the office of the Vice President and the White House Council on Women and Girls converged and issued a renewed call to action against rape and sexual assault report which analyzes the most recent reliable data about this issue and identifies who are the most in peril victims of this malefaction, investigates the costs of this violence both for victims and communities , and describes the replication very often inadequate of the US malefactor equity system.
Rape is a virus that infects every nation, culture and society. It is constantly referred to as “the unfinished murder”, because of the deep state of despair the rapist leaves the victim in. There is no common identifiable trend that determines who will be a rape victim. Women are not assaulted because of their attitudes or actions, they are attacked simply because they are present. With rapists, just as with their victims, there is no identifiable trend. The old myth that only “sick, dirty, old, perverted men” commit rapes is a lie that society tells itself in order to sleep better at night. The startling truth is that most rapists work under a veil of normalcy. In order for the percentage of rapes to decrease, we have to change our ideas about rape and let go of the old myths of the past. And until this happens, rape will continue to plague our world at large.
As it is in the case of the majority of violent crimes, (Davies and Rogers, 2006) perpetrators of violent crimes, and especially sexual assault related crimes exert additional force by threatening the victim or their families. Male victims also must contend with an additional sense of shame and embarrassment in being identified with a crime that has been typically portrayed in the media as happening to women. This places men at a disadvantage in the reporting process, because their safety and the safety of others is compromised further if the crime is not reported. (Messerschmitt, 2009)
2.) National Research Council. Understanding Violence Against Women, Washington, DC: National Academy of Press. 1996.
Sexual assault is defined as any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Falling under the definition of sexual assault are sexual activities as forced sexual intercourse, forcible sodomy, child molestation, incest, fondling, and In the United States 80% of sexual assault victims are under the age of 30. Of that 80%, 44% are under the age of 18 (RAINN, 2016). That leaves 36% of victims between the ages of 18 and 30. These percentages become even more alarming when that 80% is of about 293,000 victims of secual assualt each year (RAINN, 2016). It is estimated that 1 in every 6 women in the US has been or will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime. The risks of sexual assault increase on college campuses. Women ages 18-24 who are enrolled in college are 3 times more likely than women in general to suffer from sexual violence (RAINN, 2016). One would think that with all these women being sexually assaulted, one would hear more about it, or perhaps the police stations would constantly be busy. This is not the case. Sexual assault is one of the most unreported crimes, with 68% still being left unreported (RAINN, 2016). This could be because of every 100 rapists, only 2 will spend a day in jail. Of the 32 out of 100 that would be reported, only 7 are referred to an arrest (RAINN, 2016). Why would men or women want to report sexual assault when the system that is supposed to protect them fails so often, and why does this system continue to fail?
He wanted to reminisce in the videos as it would bring him sexual arousal. This article highlights how women are subjected to sexual violence and abuse from men, many theories have had further development to attempt to create reasoning behind these types of behaviours.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is historically referred to as domestic violence. It describes a pattern of coercive and assaultive behavior that may include psychological abuse, progressive isolation, sexual assault, physical injury, stalking, intimidation, deprivation, and reproductive coercion among partners (The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), 1999). IPV leads to lifelong consequences such as lasting physical impairment, emotional trauma, chronic health problems, and even death. It is an issue effecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. Eighty-five percent of domestic violence victims are women (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003). More than one in three women in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2012). Thirty to sixty percent of perpetrators tend to also abuse children in the household (Edelson, 1999). Witnessing violence between parents or caretakers is considered the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next (Break the Cycle, 2006).
There is limited research on the prevalence of psychological and psychiatric history of sexual assault victims, much less preventive interventions addressing their vulnerability to sexual assault. However, findings from the few research are enough to reason for further inquiry into the connection. Campbell, Keegan, Cybulska, and Forster (2007) found that of the 121 female patient...
This kind of rape is recognized as rape in courtrooms, where simple rape is dismissed as not real rape and it is more common that the offender will be found not guilty. Rape can happen to anyone. Women from different cultures, races, ages, and economic levels are all vulnerable. It does not matter who you are or where you live, although women of the lowest status are most vulnerable to rape, and so are Hispanic and African American women. Anderson.... ...
Sexual assault is an offense that plagues many U.S. citizens. Although some studies show that rape is on the decline, other studies report that the phenomena actually occuring is that less rape victims are reporting the crime. In fact, approximately 68% of sexual assaults go unreported to the police according to the U.S. Department of Justice in a National Crime Victimization Survey from 2008-2012. It is common knowledge that rape victims are usually severely traumatized after the event, which leaves them susceptible to various emotions such as shame, anxiety, numbness, fear, denial, and guilt. Because of this, many rape victims decide to repress their experience and let it go unheard. However, not only does this prevent them from healing emotionally,
One in every six women and one in every thirty-three men has been reported being raped. Usually women are raped under the age of eighteen and men under the age of twelve. Women are more likely to report rape than men. Out of high school youth nationwide, nine percent reported they have been raped. Among college students nationwide, between twenty and twenty-five percent of women reported completed of attempted rape. Among adults nationwide, more than 300,000 women and over 90,000
“Every 107 seconds, an American victim was sexually assaulted and 68% of sexual assaults aren’t even reported to the police” (Statistic/RAINN). Rape is a crime that is overlooked throughout the world. Some are even shocked when they realize the full existence of what all is considered as rape. According to my human sexuality power points 63% of all instances of sexual victimization are perpetrated by dates, lovers, or husbands. I always viewed it as a stranger in a dark alley snatching you up and forcing themselves on top of you, but majority cases aren’t even displayed in that scenario. This could be the main reason why rape is overlooked and the highest unreported crime in the world, because the victim wasn’t even aware of what their love
Webster’s Dictionary describes rape as the crime of forcing another person to submit to sex acts, especially sexual intercourse. Rape is a crime in which most women cannot defend themselves. The fear of rape plagues every woman at some point or another in her life. The traumatic effects of rape vary from mild to severe, from psychological to physical. This paper will evaluate rape, as well as the effects it has on women, the theory behind male dominance and patriarchy, and differences in demographics.