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Some Facts About Rape
 | Recovering from rape is a process that begins as soon as the immediate
threat has ended and the perpetrator is gone. There are many decisions to be
made and many feelings to be expressed. Not all the decisions or feelings
will need to be handled at once, but rather as recovery progresses. |
| Some common reactions to rape are: Fear, shock, crying, anxiety,
exaggerated startle response, feeling ashamed, dirty, violated, vulnerable,
and self-blaming, difficulty making decisions. |
| One of the most startling aspects of sex crimes is how many go
unreported. The most common reasons given by victims for not reporting is
that they fear reprisal from the assailant. |
| In 2003, only 39% of rapes and sexual assaults were reported to law
enforcement officials – about one in every three. |
| About 4 out of 10 sexual assaults take place at the victim’s own home.
Two in 10 take place outside, away from home. And about 1 in 12 takes place
in a parking garage. |
| 15% of victims are under age 12, 29% are age 12-17, 44% are under 18,
80% are under age 30 |
| In one study, 98% of male rapists who raped boys reported that they were
heterosexual. |
| If an arrest is made; there is an 80% chance of prosecution. In the 39%
of attacks that are reported to the police, there is only a 16.3% chance
that the rapist will end up in prison. Factoring in unreported rapes, about
6% of rapists – 1 out of 16 – will never spend a day in jail. Fifteen out of
16 will walk free. |
Effects of Victimization
| PHYSICAL |
EMOTIONAL /
PSYCHOLOGICAL |
| STDs |
| HIV |
| Bruises |
| Pregnancy |
| Miscarriage |
| Physical Pain |
| Suicide |
| Broken Bones |
| Difficulty Conceiving |
| Sleep Disturbances |
| Strangulation |
| Pain with Intercourse |
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| Post Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| Anxiety Problems/Disorders |
| Depressive Disorders |
| Startle Easily |
| Feel Dirty |
| Low Self-Esteem |
| Nightmares |
| Flashbacks |
| Substance Use/Abuse |
| Guilt |
| Strained Relationships |
| Feel Violated, Vulnerable |
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“Sexual violence is, first and foremost, an act of violence, hatred, and
aggression. Whether it is viewed clinically or legally, objectively or
subjectively, violence is the common denominator. Like other acts of violence,
(assault and battery, murder, nuclear war), there is a violation of and injury
to victims. The injuries may be psychological or physical. In acts of sexual
violence, usually the injuries are both. For many, the realization that sexual
violence is primarily violent and only secondarily second in nature has been
difficult to accept. There have been years of indoctrination that in “sex
crimes” there are rapists who cannot control themselves and victims who really
want to be raped. In this erroneous stereotype, sexual violence is seen as being
primarily sexual in nature. In fact, rape and child sexual abuse are acts of
violence, which are injurious. Any victim of rape knows that she has experienced
the most violent act possibly short of murder. And any victim of child sexual
abuse is haunted by the helplessness she felt at the hands of the molester who
sought to control and exploit her” (Fortune, 1983),
How To Help
| Survivors need a great deal of caring and support. |
| Survivors need to talk and express their feelings. Provide a safe
environment in which you can just listen. |
| Believe the story – do not be judgmental. |
| Recognize that recovery may take a long time. |
| Respect the decisions the survivor makes. |
Immediate Helpful Responses to Rape
| Instruct the victim to get to a safe place (police department, hospital,
etc). Call for police intervention if necessary. |
| Instruct the victim not to shower – also, don’t douche, change clothes,
or brush teeth. Medical evidence might be destroyed. |
| EVERY RAPE IS DIFFERENT – AND SOMETIMES IT’S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO DECIDE
IF THEY WERE “REALLY” RAPED. IF THE VICTIM IS CONFUSED OR FRIGHTENED BY
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED, HELP THEM PROCESS IT. |
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