PHILADELPHIA RAPE VICTIM PROJECT (FROM FORCIBLE RAPE THE CRIME, THE VICTIM, AND THE OFFENDER, 1977 BY DUNCAN CHAPPELL, ROBLEY GEIS, AND GILBERT GEIS - SEE NCJ-43432)

• NCJ Number: 43445
• Author(s): J J PETERS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Columbia University Press
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

OPERATION OF THE PHILADELPHIA GENERAL HOSPITAL (PGH) CENTER FOR RAPE CONCERN IS DETAILED; FINDINGS COMPILED BY THE CENTER'S SOCIAL WORKERS ARE REPORTED.

Abstract

THE PHILADELPHIA PROGRAM, ESTABLISHED IN 1970, IS STAFFED BY AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM (PSYCHIATRISTS, RESEARCH SOCIOLOGISTS, AND PSYCHOLOGISTS) AND IS AN OUTGROWTH OF A PGH GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY PROGRAM FOR PROBATIONED SEX OFFENDERS. THE RAPE VICTIM STUDY WAS ORGANIZED TO SHIFT THE FOCUS FROM THE OFFENDER TO THE VICTM; ITS OBJECTIVES ARE (1) TO STUDY THE SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF RAPE UPON FEMALES, AND (2) TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON THE VICTIM. WHEN THE VICTIM IS TAKEN BY THE POLICE TO THE PGH EMERGENCY SERVICE, MEDICAL AND GYNECOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS RECORD EVIDENCE, AND THE VICTIM IS GIVEN PREVENTIVE TREATMENT FOR VENEREAL DISEASE AND PREGNANCY. WITHIN 48 HOURS AFTER THE VICTIM IS EXAMINED, A FEMALE SOCIAL WORKER GATHERS INFORMATION FROM THE VICTIM DURING A HOME VISIT AND ARRANGES FOR A STAFF PSYCHIATRIST TO EXAMINE THE VICTIM AT THE HOSPITAL SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE HOME VISITOR RETURNS EVERY 3 OR 4 MONTHS FOR 1 YEAR TO OBSERVE THE VICTIM'S POSTRAPE ADJUSTMENT AND TO HELP IN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES. THE PROGRAM ALSO ATTEMPTS TO FOLLOW THE VICTIM THROUGH COURT AND HAS STUDIED THE PROBLEM OF VICTIM CREDIBILITY IN TERMS OF POLICE REACTION TO A RAPE REPORT. DATA COLLECTED BY PGH SOCIAL WORKERS DURING 149 HOME VISITS SHOW THAT 64 PERCENT OF THE CASES INVOLVED A SINGLE OFFENDER, AND THAT 22 PERCENT OF THE SINGLE OFFENDER RAPES WERE INTERRACIAL. EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE ADULT VICTMS WERE RAPED BY STRANGERS, WHILE THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN WERE RAPED BY A FRIEND, EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBER, OR ACQUAINTANCE. VICTIM-PRECIPITATION WAS NOT INVOLVED IN 90 PERCENT OF THE CASES. STATISTICS CONCERNING THE TYPES OF SEXUAL ACTS, USE OF WEAPONS OR FORCE, PRIOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS, AND FEARS OF THE VICTIMS ARE ALSO RECOUNTED. THE AUTHORS FEEL THAT THE PGH PROJECT CAN SERVE AS A PROTOTYPE FOR THE TREATMENT OF RAPE VICTIMS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.