NCJ Number
74366
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The difficulties experienced by the collective 'Women against Rape,' (Melbourne, Australia) in obtaining community support for their rape crisis center and other problems of community support and care of rape victims are reported.
Abstract
For 4 years, 'Women against Rape' operated the only rape crisis center in the State of Victoria. The two greatest problems in maintaining the center was funding and obtaining the legal recognition required for public funding. Meetings with funding agencies revealed that 'Women against Rape' was unacceptable because (1) it did not have any male members, and (2) because it would not accept the co-operative type of constitution which called for directors. After the collective had spent considerable time and effort without receiving official recognition, the organization decided to forego the funding advantages although this has restricted the organization's services. The first problems within the community encountered by rape victims result from police procedures and attitudes. Police officers tend to disbelieve rape accounts; they fail to advise women on their rights as victims; and they take a hypocritical, paternal attitude. With regard to hospital and treatment response in the Victoria Community, several objections are in order: (1) raped women are not 'sick' and usually do not require hospitalization, (2) sexual assault clinics do not fit into the administrative framework of hospitals, and (3) in hospitals, nurses and unsympathetic doctors treat rape victims with little compassion. The article argues that rape crisis centers should be operated in co-ordination with womens' health collectives and should not be part of community hospitals and their male-dominated bureaucracy. Footnotes and reference notes are provided. For related papers, see NCJ 74354.