NCJ Number
54698
Journal
PRACTICAL PSYCHOLOGY FOR PHYSICIANS Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1975) Pages: 34-39
Date Published
1975
Length
8 pages
Annotation
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA EXPERIENCED BY RAPE VICTIMS IS ADDRESSED, AND GUIDELINES FOR PROVIDING APPROPRIATE THERAPY AND COUNSELING TO VICTIMS ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
LAWS CONCERNING RAPE ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT RAPISTS NOT VICTIMS. MANY WOMEN, THEREFORE, WHO HAVE BEEN RAPED DO NOT REPORT THE INCIDENTS. IN CITIES WHERE A GOOD RAPE CRISIS CENTER EXISTS, POLICE ATTITUDES HAVE IMPROVED AND LEGAL CASES INVOLVING RAPE HAVE BEGUN TO ACHEIVE BETTER RESULTS. IT IS STILL ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE, HOWEVER, TO GET A CONVICTION OF A RAPIST IN COURT. RAPE IS NOT ALWAYS MERELY A SEXUAL ACT; IN MANY CASES, RAPISTS DO NOT EVEN ENJOY THEIR CRIME. THEY GET SOMETHING OTHER THAN EROTIC PLEASURE FFROM THE COMMISSION OF RAPE, SUCH AS A SENSE OF SUPERIORITY, THE ASSERTION OF THEIR RIGHTS OF PILLAGE, AND THE SIMPLE REDUCTION OF ANOTHER PERSON TO A 'THING.' IT IS VERY OFTEN RAGE AND NOT LUST THAT DRIVES A MAN TO VIOLATE A WOMAN. RAPE IS A SOCIAL DISEASE AND HAS BOTH MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS. WOMEN WHO REPORT RAPES TO THE POLICE ARE USUALLY SENT TO AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL UNIT FOR IMMEDIATE MEDICAL TREATMENT. OF WOMEN WHO DO NOT GO TO THE POLICE AND WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TREATED IN HOSPITALS, MANY SUFFER FROM INSOMNIA, NIGHTMARES, AND OTHER FORMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA AND ULTIMATELY REQURE THERAPY AND COUNSELING BY A PSYCHIATRIST OR PSYCHOLOGIST. AFTER BEING IMMEDIATELY REASSURED THAT SHE IS A HUMAN BEING, THE MOST IMPORTANT PSYCHOLOGICAL REMEDY FOR THE WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN RAPED IS TO RESTORE HER SELF-DETERMINATION AND SELF-WORTH. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA SYNDROME OBSERVED IN MANY RAPE VICTIMS STARTS WITH A REACTION OF SHOCK AND LATER INCLUDES STAGES OF RESIGNATION, CONFRONTATION, AND DEPRESSION. THE ROLE OF THERAPY AND COUNSELING IS TO DEEMPHASIZE THE SEXUAL NATURE OF RAPE, SEPARATE VIOLATION BY RAPE FROM NORMAL SEX, ENCOURAGE A WOMAN TO SEE THAT RAPE IS A CRIME OF VIOLENCE AND NOT AN AFFIRMATION OF 'NATURAL' ROLES BETWEEN AGGRESSIVE MEN AND SUBMISSIVE WOMEN, REMOVE THE SENSE OF GUILT MOST WOMEN HAVE AFTER BEING RAPED, AND SEE RAPE VICTIMS AT CRUCIAL STAGES IN THEIR ORDEAL. RAPE CRISIS CENTERS CAN BE INVALUABLE REFERRAL SOURCES FOR PHYSICIANS WHO TREAT RAPE VICTIMS. THESE CENTERS ARE STAFFED BY PARAMEDICAL COUNSELORS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN RAPE VICTIMS THEMSELVES. A LIST OF RAPE CRISIS CENTERS AND OTHER ANTIRAPE GROUPS IS INCLUDED. (DEP)