Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual
intercourse, which is initiated by one or more
persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of
valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, or below the
legal age of
consent. The term is most
often defined in criminal law.
Rape is a violent act, and most commonly committed by a male
upon a female. However, some cases of rape have been reported in which a woman
has raped a man. Rape also may occur between members of the same sex. This is
more prevalent in situations where access to the opposite sex is restricted
(such as prisons, military settings, and single-sex schools).
Those who face some form of discrimination are
believed to be at higher risk of sexual assault. This increased vulnerability
can assume various forms. For example, those with disabilities or limited
language skills have a decreased ability to call for help; prostitutes or
convicted prisoners have decreased credibility.
Source : http://health.nytimes.com
Types of Rape :
There are
several types of rape, generally categorized by reference to the situation in
which it occurs, the sex or characteristics of the victim, and/or the sex or
characteristics of the perpetrator. Different types of rape include but are not
limited to: date rape, gang
rape, marital rape, incestual rape, child
sexual abuse, prison
rape, acquaintance rape, war rape and statutory
rape.
The typical rape victim is a 16-24 year-old woman. Anyone,
however -- man or woman, adult or child -- can be the victim of rape. Most
commonly, the assailant is a 25-44 year-old man who plans his attack. He
usually chooses a woman of the same race. Nearly half the time, the victim
knows the rapist at least casually, from working or living near him. Alcohol is
involved in more than 1 out of 3 rapes.
Facts about Rape
Statistics
- Every 2 minutes, someone in the U
S, is sexually assaulted
- 1 in 4 girls will be sexually
assaulted by the age of 18
- 1 in 6 women have experienced an
attempted or completed rape in their lifetime
- 15 % of sexual assault and rape
victims are under age 12
- Approximately 68% of rape victims
knew their assailant. 28% of victims are raped by husbands or boyfriends,
35% by acquaintances, and 5% by other relatives. 29% of female victims
reported that the offender was a stranger
- More than 50% of all rape/sexual
assault incidents were reported by victims to have occurred within 1 mile
of their home or at their home
- About 3% of American men – or 1
in 33 – have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime
- 2.78 million men in the U.S. have
been victims of sexual assault or rape
- 17.7 million American Women have
been victims of attempted or completed rape
- 93 % of juvenile sexual assault
victims knew their attacker
- Sexual assault is one of the most
underreported crimes, with 60 % still being left unreported.
In 2007:
- In Alabama, 1,408 rapes were
reported
- An average of 4 rapes per day
- In 72 % of the rapes, the victim
and offender knew or were related to each other
- 22.5 years was the average age of
a victim
- 19 % of rapes occurred on a
Saturday and 18 % on a Sunday
- 28.0 was the average age of an
offender
- 76 % of victims reported no other
injuries from the rape and 52 % submitted to a medical exam
Reference : http://www.lighthousehelp.org
Common consequences experienced by Rape victims include.
·
Vaginal or Anal bleeding or infection
·
Hypoactive
sexual desire disorder
·
Vaginitis
·
Dyspareunia, Vaginismus
·
Chronic Pelvic pain
·
Urinary infections
·
Pregnancy
Suicide
Childhood and adulthood victims of rape are more
likely to attempt or commit suicide. The
association remains, even after controlling for sex, age, education, symptoms
of post-traumatic stress disorder and the presence of psychiatric disorders. The
experience of being raped can lead to suicidal behavior as early as
adolescence. In Ethiopia, 6% of raped schoolgirls reported having attempted
suicide. They also feel embarrassed to talk about what had happened to them. A study of adolescents in Brazil found
prior sexual abuse to be a
leading factor predicting several health risk behaviors, including suicidal
thoughts and attempts
Rape Protest
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