Once someone is raped they now must live with the long-term effects of their victimization. Some of the effects include PTSD, depression, panic disorders, and substance dependency. Society often doesn’t realize how much goes into a rape survivor being able to reinsert him or herself in society. Rape survivors often feel judged and embarrassed by what has happened to them when honestly they should be praised for experiencing something as horrific as rape and being able to survive and live a normal life lightly suffering from some of these long term effects. Males and females both suffer differently from the victimization, which is why women are more likely to cope with the situation whereas men will suppress the memory of ever being victimized. …show more content…
Finding a way to cope after victimization can be one of the most challenging things to get through. Littleton and Breitkopf (2006) found that Negative sequelae that victims experience following rape may affect the coping strategies victims utilize (p.107). Negative stimuli can be related to how the police treat the victim after the rape or it can be the responses of others after disclosing the rape. Many victims suffer from self-blame they mention things like “I shouldn’t have gone out that late by myself.” Victims often find one of the best way to cope with victimization is counseling. Rape crisis counseling helps victims find a safe way to cope. They began by hearing the victim 's story so they can understand what type of treatment the victim needs. Male victims are less likely to seek help from counseling because of the shame and embarrassment they feel. Turner and Light (2010) found that majority of male survivors do not participate in counseling and those who seek help often do so long after the sexual assault or rape took place (p.256). Male victims are more hostile, angry, and depressed immediately after rape than female victims. That also relates to why men are less likely to report being victimized because they feel they will be judged and their masculinity make come into question. Since male rape often goes unrecognized there is a lack of services available for male survivors. So there is also a lack in knowing exactly how to cope in a positive way after sexual
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
Sexual assault is an under-reported crime. It is difficult for women to report sexual abuse but it is far more difficult for men. For males, it is exponentially more difficult to report such crimes, thus making it more difficult for victim advocates to present an environment where victims feel comfortable coming forward to report sex crimes. To this end, according to RAINN (2009) male victims of sex related crimes may find it easier to make a first report anonymously, giving them the opportunity to speak to an objective list, specifically trained to address specific and complex emotional issues related to this crime.
There are many problems rapes could cause besides the ones highlighted already. 35% of men report significant short-term or long-term impacts such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A few more would include anxiety, depression, fearfulness, or post-traumatic stress disorder. The thoughts of future occurrences would consume their thoughts as the use excessive precaution that could have a little effect would be taken. The Withdrawal from relationships or friendships and an increased sense of isolation as well as avoiding people or places that are related to the assault or abuse. Despite being the least disclosed crime, it cost the U.S annually more than any other crime.
The trauma of rape can lead to depression and can put victims in a horrible mental state of mind. Symptoms of depression can go unnoticed for long periods of time especially if the victims doesn’t speak out and tell someone. “Symptoms of depression are social withdrawnness, lack of interest in things the victim would normally enjoy, feelings of worthless unexplained irritability, and inability to sleep. After rape or sexual abuse, survivors often find their self-esteem suffers significantly”.(After silence. org) The way victims view themselves and others change significantly after being raped. They may lose their integrity and power to continue a balanced life.
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.
Rape is an issue that usually occurs to females and is more likely executed by males than females. Nonetheless, a female’s position in rape can and does go further than being the victim. Considering that women can be the perpetrator in this sexual assault, who are their victims? Rape can occur to anyone by anyone. In the same way a female can be a victim of rape, so can a male. According to RAINN, an anti-sexual assault organization, “About 3% of American men have experienced attempted or completed rape as of 1998, an estimated 4.5 million as of 2010” (Who Are the Victims?). However, men are not necessarily the victims of solely female-on-male rape. In fact, the majority of males who are raped are the victims of male-on-male rape and
Understanding the theories of victimology is important to understand the victims, we need to understand the four main theories of victimization. These theories are the principals of victim assessment. It will give the officer the tools to understand the motive behind the victimization giving him different types of views to analyze the victim. The four main theories of victimization are: Victim Precipitation, Lifestyle, Deviant Place, and Routine Activity. These four theories according to victimology give us the idea of how the victim become to be a victim. The word Victimization meanings “an act that exploits or victimizes someone” and “adversity resulting from being made a victim” (Vocabulary.com. Dictionary Victimization (2017)). By understanding the victim and the influences of their social life is important so we can give the victim the treatment and
To help understand what happens to victims and how they feel; here are the results of a survey done in 1985 and 1993. It was found that 73% of rape victims say that they were not raped. There is a lot of self-blame involved in rape. Many victims blame themselves for what happened to them. One out of 4 women have been rape victims and 84% knew their attacker. While 42% did not tell anyone of the account of rape that happened to them, only 5% of the victims actually take the incidence to the police or some kind of administration. Informing the police is very important.
"30% of rape victims had experienced at least one major depressive episode in their lifetimes" (Kilpatrick). To simplify that shattering statistic, that means almost 1/3 of all rape victims experience depression through out their lifetime. The victims of rape are often scared of telling people what happened because they don't want their identity to be known. "68% of all rape Victims are concerned of their identity being revealed to the public and becoming known for being a rape victim" (Kilpatrick). Women experience anxiety about their story being shown to the public. Rape victims also seem to develop PTSD similar to a war veteran. "Rape victims are 6.2 times more likely to develop PTSD than women who have never been victims
Women can become frightened of men and afraid of having relationship with them and men can become worried for the women in their lives. This leads to the untrusting relationships. Those who have been raped and their families suffer from emotional trauma that may interfere with their lives for years. And those who rape think their actions are acceptable
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,
To most Americans Rape has a tendency to be one of the cruelest forms of criminal violence. The victim can suffer from incredible injuries, and substantial amounts of embarrassment. Rendered powerless by physical force, threats, or fear, after which being forced to submit to sexual acts, including vaginal penetration, oral copulation, sodomy, and penetration opening with a foreign object, the victim is left virtually alone. Rape is an intrusion into the most private and intimate parts of the body, as well as an assault on the core of the self. Whether or not the victim acquires any physical injuries, the psychological impact of a sexual assault is severe. Additionally, the painful, post-trauma symptoms that usually always accompany rape are long-lasting. Even the victims who seem to have been able to move on with their life often find that an extreme feeling of powerlessness and vulnerability remains close and can easily, and unexpectedly, be re-experienced. A most important aspect in the long-term impact of rape is that the assault negatively changes the victim...
“Rape is a crime that combines sex and violence, that makes sex the weapon in an act of violence.”(Kimmel 257) Because of this, rape is often traumatic for the victim of a rape. Many victims undergo what is known as rape trauma syndrome, “…rape trauma syndrome, consisting of an acute stage, where the primary response is fear, followed by a reorganization stage, characterized by phobias, insomnia, sexual dysfunctions, and major changes in life-style.”(Chandler et al pp. 248) These are some of the psychological side effects that women must endure after the rape. There are also other factors, relating to the individual that effect rape trauma they include, “age, prior sexual experience, ethnicity, and response of significant others to the victim. Factors relating to the sexual assault, such as degree of violence and the relationship between the victim and the assailant also affect trauma.”(Chandler et al pp 249) Overall, is is safe to say that there are many psychological effects of rape that allows women to fear the attack of a rape.
To be raped is to be sexually assaulted forcefully and unwillingly. According to the Uniform Crime reports, of all serious offenses, rape is probably “the most under reported crime.” Victims of rape are not only violated physically, they are violated mentally as well. It is a very traumatic experience that woman have to deal with for the remainder of their life. They usually incur symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, stress disorders, fear, constant memories of the attack, a loss of confidence, and shame. (Mary E. Williams) These effects alter the victim’s life severely and can interfere with their day to day life and relationships. Being raped is a horrific crime that no woman should ever have to endure. In many cases victims of rape may become impregnated by the perpetrator leaving the victim to another form of violation. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, at least 9,100 abortions each year are attributed to pregnancies that occur because of forced sexual intercourse. (Irin Carmon)
Usually in a rape, more focus is placed on the rapist while the victim is forgotten and criticized by society for letting it happen. Society often fails to understand what the victim is going through, because in order to understand a rape victim, you must either have experienced it first hand, or learned about it, which most people do not. Recent research has established that rape and other forms of sexual assault have a traumatic and often enduring effect on the victim. For example, Burgess and Holmstrom (1974) found that rape victims experience a “rape trauma syndrome, consisting of an acute stage where the primary response is fear, followed by a reorganization stage, characterized by phobias, insomnia, sexual dysfunctions and other major changes in lifestyle” (Ruch, Chandler and Harter 248). Much trauma occurs as a result of shock; and rape victims go into shock while experiencing being raped because at the time they may not even know what’s happening and may even be in denial that it happened. Their denial supports our own, and choosing to ignore the victims’ side of the story, we are, in fact ignoring them when they are in a state of distress. Failing to acknowledge the rape victims shows how little we care about them and their state of