NCJ Number
112892
Date Published
1988
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Rape victims who present themselves for care shortly after the crime are often in crisis.
Abstract
The victim's support system is likely to be disrupted, there may be an overwhelming sense of violation and helplessness, and significant others may alienate the victim due to their own biases and misperceptions of rape. Following rape, the victim experiences intense psychological disequilibrium and associated feelings of fear, loss of control, and impaired thinking and decisionmaking. Victims may also exhibit phobic and somatic reactions in the aftermath of rape. Rape crisis intervention focuses on restoring the victim's sense of control and competency. Peer support groups provide a therapeutic forum for addressing feelings of isolation and fear. Dealing with families and significant others also is integral to social work intervention, both to explore biases and reactions to the rape and to provide support in interactions with the medical, legal, and other systems. Medical care of the rape victim should include treatment of injuries, venereal disease and pregnancy prevention, and collection of evidence. The social worker can serve as facilitator of the medical examination, police interview, and court processes. While gaps in services for rape victims still exist, there has been significant growth and increased comprehensiveness in community-based rape crisis services. 18 notes and 1 table.