When Worlds Collide Book Report

Shari Davies was once a carefree, optimistic young woman. This all changed one night twenty years ago, giving way to an unexpected course of injury, pain, fear, and anger. On November 5, 1986, Shari was abducted, raped, and almost killed (Davies, 1997, pp. 3-4). Rape is a very horrible crime that affects its victims both physically and psychologically, and these affects can last for years (Cooper, 2004). Shari even admits in the book that she still experiences grief, pain and confusion and shares that elements of these emotions will never leave her and her family (Davies, 1997, p 3). How family, friends, and authorities react to a victim has a major impact on how she will deal with the pain and heal. Rape victims who feel ignored or treated negatively may encounter what is known as secondary victimization. When police and other legal and medical providers put the needs of their agencies in front of the needs and psychological boundaries of the victim, victims often feel violated. The disregard of victims' needs by providers can so closely mimic victims' experiences at the hands of their assailants that secondary victimization is sometimes referred to as "the second rape" or the "second assault" (Schultz, 1999). Two sources of frustration and pain to Shari and her family were the police and the media. In this paper I will share how I interpreted Shari to be treated by these entities during her recovery process and the possible implications of such treatment. I will also delve into the issue of the scarcity of resources that Shari and her family encountered and how this has changed both in Australia and the United States.

Police, both in Australia and the United States, are often lacking the training and experience to deal with victims of rape in a compassionate way. They simply follow department procedures and do not know how to adhere to the victim's feelings (Rape Crisis Information Pathfinder, 2007). This is unfortunate because many rape victims, throughout the world, refrain from reporting their attack due to the belief that they will not be taken seriously.

The police charged with Shari's case acted very insensitive throughout the whole process. When Shari was admitted to the hospital, she was treated merely as an object. The police showed no regard for her or her family's feelings. In Ivan Davies' own words, "the police treated Shari as if she was a piece of meat….