RAPE CULTURE: THE FACTORS, EFFECTS AND PREVENTION OF RAPE
ON WOMEN
INTRODUCTION
According to criminal law, rape is any act of sexual intercourse between two
parties without the consent of both parties. Rape victims may be coerced by physical
coercion or threats. Physical force alone is the only weapon used in around 80% of
rapes. Additionally, married women are more likely to experience rape by their
husbands than by outsiders. This situation does not represent the normal rape
experience, despite the fact that many women suffer similar assaults. In actuality, the
victim’s known male acquaintance, “friend,” classmate, boss, or lover is most usually
the one who commits rape.
In 2019/2020, 4% of sexual offenses and 2% of rape offenses resulted in the
accused being charged or summoned in the same year, according to information
released by the UK Government. In light of the recent rape instances, Caballes
stated that rape is currently, as of right now, the third “most committed crime in the
province” for the year 2023, after theft and robbery, during a press conference on
Tuesday, September 3, 2023, in Cebu. Most victims are female. Based on data, the
youngest recorded rape victim in Cebu Province in 2023 was seven years old, while
the oldest was nineteen, according to Lt. Col. Randy Caballes of the Cebu Police
Provincial Office.
CAUSE OF RAPE
Most rapists feel helpless and have low self-esteem, and they think that
women are manipulative and exploitative. Over the years, there has been a
noticeable increase in sexual assaults on college campuses, raising questions and
concerns about the preventative services provided to students. 11.2% of graduate
and undergraduate students report having been the victim of sexual assault or rape
involving physical force and incapacitation brought on by drugs or alcohol (Rainn,
2019).
EFFECTS OF RAPE
Survivors of sexual assault or rape may have to deal with incredibly
challenging and painful feelings and experiences in the aftermath. Each survivor
reacts differently to traumatic experiences. Long-term or short-term trauma effects
are possible following a sexual assault or rape. In addition, fear, anger, self-blame,
loss of control, and altered levels of trust in others are common emotional effects of
rape. After experiencing sexual assault or rape, a survivor may experience additional
situations. A lifetime experience of sexual assault was reported by 13% of women
with PTSD, and participants in the study who had a psychiatric diagnosis of PTSD
were four times more likely than controls to report exposure to sexual assault. A
psychiatric condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop
after experiencing psychological trauma. It is linked to intrusive memories,
nightmares, avoidance, and issues with sleep and focus (Lerman 2019). A survivor
could grow pessimistic and believe they are "damaged" or undeserving of a better
life. Abuse of drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism for the intense emotions could
also become a problem.
PREVENTION OF RAPE
Rape can happen anywhere, at any time, and it's never your fault. However,
you can significantly lower your chances of becoming a victim by taking precautions
like traveling with a companion and abstaining from drugs and alcohol. Programs for
prevention and awareness, such as online and peer-driven initiatives, are developed
to teach students how to avoid sexual assault (Hubach et al., 2019).
CONCLUSION
People need to know what sexual assault is and what to do if they become a
victim because, as the research demonstrates, rapes and other sexual assaults still
happen in society. It is possible to impart this knowledge to students through small-
scale programming, orientations, or other partnerships with members of
the community who recognize the value of sexual assault education and the
necessity of reporting incidents to the police. As students feel more at ease
discussing their victimization experiences with friends, peers, sports coaches, or
family members than they do with law enforcement, according to the literature and
the study.
REFERENCES:
Hubach, R. D., Story, C. R., Currin, J. M., Woods, A., Jayne, A. & Jayne, C. (2019).
“What should sex look like?” Students’ desires for expanding university sexual
assault prevention programs to include comprehensive sex education.
Qualitative Health Research, 1–11.
[Link]
Lerman I, Davis B, Huang M, Huang C, Sorkin L, Proudfoot J, et al. Noninvasive
vagus
nerve stimulation alters neural response and physiological autonomic tone to
noxious thermal challenge. PlOS One 2019
Rainn (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), (n.d.). [Link]
March,
22, 2019
