NCJ Number
56904
Date Published
1976
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THE INCIDENCE OF CAMPUS RAPE IS ANALYZED WITH REGARD TO VICTIMS, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION, DIRECT CARE OF VICTIMS, PROGRAMS FOR RAPISTS AND VICTIMS, RAPE LAW REFORM, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND LITIGATION.
Abstract
A SURVEY OF 20 UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS ON PREDOMINANTLY LARGE COMPUSES REVEALED A TOTAL OF 76 REPORTED RAPES IN 1974. ANOTHER STUDY INDICATED 332 RAPE VICTIMS IN ONE CAMPUS COMMUNITY DURING 1976. ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS OTHER STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED TO ASCERTAIN THE EXTENT OF RAPE ON CAMPUSES, THE IMPERATIVE TO DOCUMENT A STRONG CASE BASED ON EVIDENCE REMAINS. INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACHES TO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION ARE NEEDED. PRIMARY PREVENTION REFERS TO ACTS A POTENTIAL VICTIM MAY TAKE TO PREVENT BEING RAPED. SECONDARY PREVENTION MEANS ACTS A VICTIM MAY TAKE TO PREVENT RECIDIVISM. A SOUND SEX EDUCATION PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS AT THE BEGINNING OF ADOLESCENCE IS ADVOCATED, ALONG WITH ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING FOR COLLEGE FEMALES. SEXUAL LIBERATION IS ALSO VIEWED AS ONE WAY OF MAKING SEX MORE AVAILABLE AND THEREBY REDUCING THE NEED TO USE FORCE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITIES. WITH REGARD TO SERVICES FOR VICTIMS AND POTENTIAL VICTIMS, THE RAPE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT MOVEMENT HAS INVOLVED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RAPE CRISIS CENTERS. REHABILITATIVE SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO ALL RAPE VICTIMS, INCLUDING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, COUNSELING, EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION, AND SUPPORTIVE ASSISTANCE. THERE ARE ALSO SOME TREATMENT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM BY RAPISTS. THESE PROGRAMS AIM AT HUMANIZING THE SEXUAL DRIVE, TEACHING EMOTIONAL RELEASE THROUGH PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THERAPISTS, USING ANDROGEN-DEPLETING HORMONE TREATMENT, USING THE SEXUAL FURLOUGH AND CONJUGAL VISITING, USING VIDEO TAPES OF RAPE VICTIMS AND RAPISTS, HIRING MORE FEMALE WORKERS IN PRISONS, AND ESTABLISHING SEXUALLY-INTEGRATED PRISONS AND SPECIAL PRISONS FOR HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLES. GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ASSIST VICTIMS OF CRIME IN GENERAL MAY HAVE SPECIAL RELEVANCE TO CAMPUS RAPE VICTIMS. POLICE RESPONSE TO RAPE PREVENTION HAS ENCOMPASSED INSERVICE TRAINING, CRISIS INTERVENTION, SENSITIVE INTERROGATION, MORE USE OF FEMALE OFFICERS, AND MORE EFFECTIVE EVIDENCE COLLECTION TECHNIQUES. UNDER REFORMED RAPE LAWS, VICTIMS NEED NOT PROVE RESISTANCE, THE VICTIM'S PREVIOUS SEXUAL CONDUCT IS IN MOST CASES INADMISSIBLE, TAXPAYERS BEAR THE MEDICAL COSTS OF RAPE, AND A SECOND CONVICTION OF RAPE RESULTS IN MANDATORY SENTENCING TO A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION. THE USE OF LITIGATION IS AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF SOCIAL CHANGE AND SOCIAL POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION. WAYS OF BETTER PROTECTING THE UNIVERSITY SETTING ARE SUGGESTED. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)