Sexual Assault: Being Aware of the Issue

Esther L. Stap 05/20/2013 English 10 1st Hour Research Paper

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Sexual assault is the least reported violent crime in the United States. There are more and more victims counted every day. In fact, someone is sexually assaulted every two minutes in the United States. Sexual assault takes away the victims dignity, sense of safety and affects them in multitude of challenging ways. After the victim reports the assault to the authorities the process for the victim still is far from being over. For the past five years only forty-six percent of sexual assaults have been reported in the United States. This means that more than half of the victims of sexual assault never report this terrible crime (11 Facts About Sexual Assault). Sexual assault is a sexual activity that doesnt have one of the peoples consent. Such activities include child molestation, attempted rape, sexual intercourse that is said no to, rape, inappropriate touching, and vaginal, anal, or oral penetration. Any unwanted contact of a sexual nature such as verbal and visual attention can be considered sexual assault. Even when someone inappropriately exposes themselves in public or watches private sexual acts can be abuse. Sexual assault is not the victims fault, and many of the victims are unaware of this (Office on Women's Health). Men and women have some of the same side effects and reactions from experiencing sexual assault. This horrifying event is a devastating trauma for both men and women victims. They both can experience similar symptoms of fear, embarrassment, anxiety attacks, nightmares and much more! For victims of both sexes, trust in others is shattered, especially if it was committed by someone the victim trusted. Two thirds of sexual assault is committed by someone the victim knows (The Offenders). This fact could keep the victim reluctant to report the abuse because of misplaced loyalty to the offender. Victims of sexual assault can be male or female. However, the majority of victims of sexual assault are women. Statistics show that one in six women in the United States have been

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sexually assaulted in their lifetime compared to one in thirty-three men. 17.7 million women and 2.78 million men in the United States are reported victims of sexual assault (Who Are the Victims?). Most men are less open about the subject of sexual assault compared to women. This fact could be because men have a code that they cannot break. Most likely, men feel more of a sense of shame because of their manhood and sense of manly respect has been violated (Gray). Sexual assault is sadly a common event with effects that are a much broader problem than most people realize. As stated before, sexual abuse is the least reported violent crime in the United States (11 Facts About Sexual Assault). Only three percent of rapists will ever serve a day in jail (Reporting Rates). That means ninety-seven percent walk away free as noted in the graphic to the left (Out of Every 100 Rapes)! Many people have inaccurate assumptions of the sexually abused. The abused are commonly called liars. Many people say, men dont get sexually abused, whats the point of telling the authorities if there is not enough evidence to back it up, and if you didnt fight back, its not rape. All of those statements are false accusations (Project Unspoken: I Am Tired Of the Silence). Victims of sexual assault are three times more likely to suffer from depression, six times more likely to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, thirteen times more likely to abuse alcohol, twentysix times more likely to abuse drugs, and four times more likely to contemplate suicide (Who Are the Victims?). An important question regarding sexual assault is why do women get sexually abused more often than men? This question might be difficult to investigate because the statistics are

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not completely accurate on the number of actual victims of either sex due to the suspected number of cases that go unreported. Many males refuse to admit they have been sexually assaulted and they are more closed about the subject than women tend to be. Women are more likely to talk about the event. In a way, male victims experience even a worse case of shame. Some are afraid to speak up because if they were assaulted by another male, they might be considered weak or gay when they are not. If they are a male child it adds on another layer of fear and anxiety. Men are more likely suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, which means they oversimplify the issue. PTSD sufferers cannot differentiate between present and past events. Often they are actively re-living the terrifying event. Persons who have PTSD are confused about the abuse because most cannot distinguish the difference between pleasure and pain. An assumption about sexually assaulted men is that men are supposed to enjoy sexual acts. All of these facts put together indicate why men are less likely to report the sexual crime (Gray). Who are the most likely potential victims of sexual assault? Often potential victims are persons who are not educated enough about sexual assault and how to prevent it. These people are more likely to be put in a position of possibly being sexually assaulted. Therefore, ignorance of the ways to prevent opportunities for sexual assault is one of the top causes for sexual assault. Being vulnerable, such as being a woman or child, will make an easy target for offenders as well. The victims of sexual assault sometimes later become potential offenders. Most offenders have been abused as a child, which makes them feel shame and have need for power and control. In a way, this is a continuing cycle of sexual assault that perpetuates itself. The offenders often feel alone and the need for love. For the offender, the motivation is more of a sense of control than it is sexual attraction or anything sexually related (Sabatino).

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The effect on the victim never goes away completely. Even years after the assault, many victims still have to take medications for sleeping, depression, and anxiety. Common physical reactions for survivors are aches and pains like head, back, and/or stomach aches, sudden sweating and/or heart palpitations, changes in sleep patterns, appetite, and interest in sex. Other common physical reactions include constipation or diarrhea, easily started by noises or unexpected touch, more susceptible to colds or illnesses, and increased use in alcohol or other drugs and/or overeating. Being sexually assaulted does not only involve physical effects, but also emotional. Some common emotional reactions include shock, fear, anxiety, denial, grief, restlessness and worrying. For victims of sexual assault it is common for them to have emotional mood swings, outbursts of anger, nightmares, flashbacks, feelings of helplessness, panic attacks, the feeling of being out of control, and the increased need to control everyday experiences. Many survivors attempt to avoid anything and everything associated with the trauma they went through even years after the incident. They try to minimize the experience as much as possible, as if it did not occur. Survivors often have a tendency to isolate themselves from others and common activities of everyday life. They have feelings of detachment, emotional numbing, difficulty trusting others, dealing with feelings of betrayal, self-blame, guilt, shame, and depression. Sexual assault victims usually are concerned with burdening others with their problems, have unpleasant past memories resurfacing, and expectation of doom and fear of the future (Fanflik). Often many associated people, such as classmates, coworkers, or family members think the victims are liars, and they do not take it seriously until sexual abuse happens to them or possibly a one dearly loved. People surrounding the victims make assumptions, such as the victim is lying, being a slut, or wanting attention. This also increases some of the symptoms for the victim (Project Unspoken: Rape Culture).

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Statistics of sexual assault in recent past years are unlike what they are currently. In the 1999 United States population, thirty-three percent of women and a little fewer than seventeen percent of men were sexually abused before age sixteen. In 2006, twenty percent of women and five percent of men had reported experiencing sexual violence since the age of fifteen, which is more often than it is presently ("Fact Sheet: Statistics about Sexual Assault). Currently, in 2013, three percent of men and a little fewer than seventeen percent of women in the total United States population had reported sexual abuse (Who Are the Victims?). By examining the created Graph A on the next page, these facts show that the number of reported sexual abuse victims is slowly decreasing. However, this also could mean that the cost of reporting might be too much for victims, meaning only reports have decreased, not necessarily the occurrence of sexual assault. Out of the total number of victims, ninety percent were women and ten percent were men in 2003 (Who Are the Victims?). In 2005, ninety-two percent of rape or sexual assault victims were female and eight percent were male ("Facts About Sexual Assault"). The facts in the created Graph B show that the amounts of female victims are slightly increasing while male victims are slightly decreasing.

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The Total Amount Of Victims of Sexual Assault in the United States

50% 75% 17% 33% 1999 5% 20% 2006 3% 17% 2013 80%

Graph A (Stap)

100% 98% 96% 94% 92% 90% 88% 86% 84% 2003 2005 Men Victims Women Victims

Graph B (Stap)

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Currently, in the United States, about forty-four percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of eighteen. The adult offenders use a technique on a juvenile and their parents called grooming. It is a method to build trust with a child and the parents or adults around the child to be able to access alone time with the child. The term stranger danger is really a myth. Parents always tell their children to stay away from strangers to keep them safe, while really ninety-three percent of sexual abuse cases today involve someone the child knows (Common Questions). Out of all sexual assault cases, seventy-three percent of sexual assault offenders were a non-stranger. Out of that seventy-three percent, seven percent were perpetrated by a relative, twenty-eight percent were by their intimate partner, and thirty-eight percent were by a friend or acquaintance. There are some common characteristics of offenders. The average age of an offender is thirty-one years old. Fifty-two percent of offenders are white and twenty-two percent of them are married (The Offenders). Current statistics suggest that sexual assault attacks happen when and where victims would least expect it. Between six oclock and midnight, forty-three percent of rapes occur. In every ten sexual assaults four of them take place in the victims home and two of them take place in the home of a friend, relative, or neighbor. In every twelve assaults, one takes place in a parked car. Of all reported sexual crimes, about eighty-four percent of the offenders only used physical force. Surprisingly only eleven percent of reported cases involved some sort of weapon. This included three percent with a gun, six percent with a knife, and two percent with some other kind of weapon. Looking over the past and present facts of sexual assault, there are a number of possible outcomes one could predict for the future. Sexual assault is being reported less every year and this trend is more than likely to continue. The current media suggests that sexual abuse is okay

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and that it is the victims fault, if not the offender. The victim is more likely to be judged and accused of doing something wrong or lying than in previous years. This pressure upon the victim will only keep increasing, which will make the reporting rates continue to decrease. Being sexually assaulted is never the victims fault, and victims should know that reporting the abuse will give them a sense of freedom and lift a great weight off their shoulders, even if the abuse could not be legally proven to the authorities (Pandora's Agnarium). It is impossible for sexual assault to ever come to an end in the United States. However, people can make others aware of the issue and strategize ways to prevent it from happening as often, as well as teaching others how to take care of the survivors. One of the outcomes of sexual abuse is all the effects the victims have to go through regardless if they choose to report the crime. A second outcome is the minimal chance the offender is prosecuted and serves a sentence for the crime. The cycle continues as some victims become offenders themselves rather than survivors. Surviving sexual assault can have some positive influences as a result. The survivor can choose not to be a victim by seeking initial help from the authorities and consistent help from counseling and support groups. If a survivor is willing to share with others what he or she has learned from the experience, he or she may be a support for another survivor or help to prevent this from occurring in anothers life by educating them. Authorities state that only about ten percent of one hundred and seventeen hospitals provide victims of sexual assault needed services, such as acute medical care, history and physical examination, acute and long-term rape crisis counseling, prophylactic and therapeutic management for HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STI), and provision of emergency contraception with proper counseling. Almost eighty percent of sexual assault victims treated in hospitals receive less than best possible care. The likelihood for a sexual assault victim to have

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contracted an STI is about twenty-six percent. According to officials, the hospital staff must have the sexually assaulted patients permission before contacting the police. Many victims do not report because of their belief that the police are restricted in their ability to intervene successfully. The perception that victims of sexual assault are often considered at fault would enhance the reason for many cases to go unreported. Other motivations for not reporting are because of the fear that the offender may sexually assault the victim again and also their misplaced feelings of fear and shame (Kwence). Much evidence has to be collected from the scene of the crime, such as DNA, specific parts of the victims body, and clothing. The hospital staff or another authority member must take photographs of injuries to be shown to the police. After all the evidence is collected, the victim has to be interviewed by the police. During this time, the presence of a family member or friend is not recommended for the reason that the victim may hold back important details and information. During the discussion, the victim must be quoted word for word. After all that has occurred, authorities do recommend the victim acquires counseling (Kwence). A very attention-grabbing, resent local news story was the case of Lauren Kyle, a Portage Northern senior (Portage, Michigan). She was reported to be just hanging out with a boy from the neighborhood that was an old friend from elementary school. The sexual assault happened in nearby woods. The boy snatched her cell phone and ran into the woods. When she finally caught up with him, he forced himself on her, and raped her. He laughed, saying Its not so bad. Lauren told a police officer that it was like an out of body experience. It was like I was watching it from above. At this point she was in shock. After the abuse he apologized and asked Lauren not to tell anyone. She then got away and texted several friends about the incident, and they persuaded her to inform her parents, even though she was afraid of their reaction. The

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rest of the evening was dealing with the police and a sexual assault exam at the hospital. Lauren Kyle had a lot of support from the police and medical professionals. So I can call this rape? said Lauren. The nurse said, Absolutely. Thats absolutely what it was. Laurens mother stated that relief came on Laurens face because she was worried that somehow it was her fault. The suffering did not end that night. She refused to be alone at all times. Even if she was going into another room not too far away she needed someone to accompany her. Of course she had symptoms of PTSD including night terrors, panic attacks and anxiety. She continues to take medications for depression, anxiety, and to help her sleep, and she regularly sees a councilor. She is fortunate by having the strong support of family, friends, authorities, and the school officials. The gossip at school was kept at a bare minimum because the offender attends a different school. The family was disappointed that the youth was not convicted for first degree criminal sexual conduct, but he will have something on his record. The parents said they did not want to see Lauren to go through the emotion of going to trial only to have the offender go free. Lauren Kyles experience has influenced others as she started a No Means No campaign for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April 2013 (Mack). Another case involved a seventeen year old girl in Delaware. She was hit by a car, forced into the vehicle and sexually assaulted before being let go. This report shows that sexual abuse can be unexpected ("Delaware Teen Hit by Car, Sexually Assaulted by Driver, Police Say"). In Steubenville, Ohio, a sixteen year old girl was raped at a party. There were many twisted, classmate witnesses that posted images of the assault on social media, such as Facebook, and this created a national attention to the situation. In this article, Becka Meier, a licensed professional counselor with the Women's Center, stated that a victim needs someone that believes them about the horrifying event. "Does it provide closure for a victim? I've never seen it

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provide closure," Meier said. "It's just a step in the healing process." The victims complete memory of the assault will never disappear during their lifetime; therefore the process never ends (Wilson). Most offenders know what they are did was wrong before the sexually abuse someone. Most offenders believe that they cannot help themselves and it just happened (National Geographic). Statistics back up that the offenders actually have no motivation to harm the victim. The offender often feels vulnerable themselves; making them need to control the situation and making someone feel more vulnerable than them. Therefore, it is more of a sense of control and power than it is sexual attraction or anything sexual related (Sabatino). Becoming aware of the issue of sexual assault is an effective way to find a solution. Sexual assault occurs often and people never think or expect that it is going to happen to them. Sexual Assault Awareness should become more public and talked about in schools at an appropriate young age. The people that surround the victim should be supportive, listen and, offer comfort to them. Everyone is a potential victim of sexual assault. Ways to prevent becoming a victim include the need to be aware of your surroundings, walk with confidence, know your limits with alcohol, be assertive, and trust your instincts! Other advice is to not prop open self-locking doors, always lock car or house doors and windows at all times, watch car and house keys, and watch out for unwanted visitors. Another important factor to be aware of is be wary of isolated spots. For example, avoid walking or jogging alone at night and also sometimes during the daylight. Always have the keys ready, park in well-lit areas, drive on well-traveled streets, and keep the car in high-quality repair with plenty of gas. It is important to have a phone at all times in case of the need to call 911 (Office on Women's Health). It would be better if people feel more comfortable with reporting. There is a great chance that their offender will

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abuse them again or abuse someone else if they choose not to report the crime. The issue of sexual assault needs to be talked about. The media, medical professionals, law enforcement and those that surround the victim should support reporting. One of the key methods to help the issue of sexual assault is exposure. Exposure is the way to stop repeat offenders. Offenders are less likely to offend if they have already been under suspicion of sexually abusing someone. People should not wait to tell the police if they have been sexually abused, or know of someone that has been and isnt reporting it. To report an incident of sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Be sure to make others aware of the issue of sexual assault, as well as the information provided to prevent and help the situation (Yoffe). The effects the victims of sexual assault experience after the abuse are devastating and will have to be dealt with for the rest of each individuals life. Sexual assault occurs often. As stated before, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted every two minutes. That means there are about seven hundred and twenty new victims every day. Helping people understand the outcomes of sexual assault can keep them aware of the issue and know how to prevent it and support the victims and families involved. Raising awareness of the issue will hopefully increase the reporting rates which in turn will hopefully deter offenders from repeating their offence.

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