NCJ Number
117448
Date Published
1987
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This booklet discusses different types of sexual abuse, who commits such crimes, how they happen, and how it feels to be a victim, with a particular focus on date rape.
Abstract
Sexual abuse occurs when a person is forced, pressured, threatened, or tricked into some kind of sexual activity against his or her will. This does not necessarily involve touching, as it includes exhibitionism, voyeurism, child pornography, obscene phone calls, and verbally abusive sexual comments. Sexual abuse that does involve touching includes molestation, incest, rape, forced sodomy, and forced oral copulation. A significant amount of sexual abuse occurs within families or is committed by a person whom the victim knows. Most rapists are young, select their victims randomly, are not 'oversexed,' and are mentally healthy enough to be responsible for their actions. Although rape is committed for many reasons, it is often an attempt to gain power over an unwilling victim. Acquaintance or date rape is a crime and should be treated as such by the victim. In any sexual abuse, the victim is not to blame. Often clear communication can prevent date rape, as it informs the potential rapist about how the potential victim feels and the limits she sets on how she wants to be treated. Although rape victims have different reactions, common reactions are fear, shame, guilt, anger, and powerlessness. Reporting the crime to the police, medical care, and counseling can help mitigate the negative effects of sexual abuse. The booklet also guides people in how to help a friend who has been assaulted.