STUDYING RAPE - INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND SOCIAL CHANGE (FROM WOMEN, SEXUALITY AND SOCIAL CONTROL, P 104-111, 1978, BY CAROL SMART AND BARRY SMART)

• NCJ Number: 68507
• Author(s): J R SCHWENDINGER; H SCHWENDINGER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

THIS ACCOUNT OF RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY FOR RAPE VICTIMS BY THE BAY AREA WOMEN AGAINST RAPE (BAWAR) IN CALIFORNIA STRESSES THE BENEFITS ACHIEVED BY INTEGRATING ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND EFFORTS AT EFFECTING SOCIAL CHANGE.

Abstract

BAWAR EMERGED IN 1971 FROM EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A RAPE CRISIS CENTER IN BERKELEY, CALIF. THE GROUP DECIDED THAT RESEARCH ON RAPE AND ON OFFICIALS' TREATMENT OF VICTIMS WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE STRUGGLE AGAINST RAPE. THE RESEARCH AVOIDED THE TRADITIONAL ACCOMMODATING ATTITUDE TOWARD INSTITUTIONS FOUND IN OTHER RAPE RESEARCH. INSTEAD, IT FOCUSED ON EVALUATING INSTITUTIONAL FUNCTIONS DIRECTLY IN RELATION TO THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE REQUESTING SERVICE. MARXIAN THEORIES ANALYZING INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE TOTAL POLITICAL ECONOMY PROVIDED IMPORTANT INSIGHTS INTO RAPE AND TREATMENT OF VICTIMS. THE MARXIAN CONCEPT OF PRAXIS ALSO ENCOURAGED THE RESEARCHERS TO BE INVOLVED IN CHANGING THE INSTITUTIONS THEY WERE STUDYING. THE RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS USED QUESTIONNAIRES, PERSONAL INTERVIEWS OF VICTIMS, MONITORING OF TRIALS, FORMAL AND INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH POLICE, 2ND DISCUSSIONS WITH DOCTORS AND HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS. DIRECT OBSERVATION WAS THE MOST VALUABLE MEANS OF LEARNING THE REALITY OF MISTREATMENT OF VICTIMS. SEXIST ATTITUDES WERE FOUND IN ALL THE INSTITUTIONS STUDIED. AMONG REFORMS ACHIEVED WERE MORE HUMANE TREATMENT OF VICTIMS IN HOSPITALS, PROVISION OF SPECIALLY TRAINED OFFICERS IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL CHANGES. THE RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT RAPE IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FORMS OF OPPRESSION OF WOMEN, BUT THAT IT DOES NOT CONSIST OF SOCIALLY ISOLATED ACTS. SEXIST DOCTRINES, CHAUVINIST IDEOLOGIES, AND AN EXPLOITATIVE, CLASS-DIVIDED SOCIETY RESULTING FROM CAPITALISM ARE KEY ELEMENTS IN THE CAUSES OF RAPE AND THE TREATMENT OF RAPE VICTIMS. MOREOVER, VICTIM TREATMENT VARIES ACCORDING TO THE VICTIM'S SOCIAL CLASS. ALTHOUGH WOMEN'S ADVOCACY GROUPS CAN AFFECT THE TREATMENT OF VICTIMS, RAPE CAN BE ELIMINATED ONLY WHEN DETERRENCE MEASURES ARE COMBINED WITH A SOCIALIST STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)