The word “rape” contains only 4 letters that induces fear to many families around the world. By definition, rape literally means “to force -someone- to have sex with you” or “to seize and take away by force” (Merriam-Webster). Although different definitions exist, the meaning does not change. During discussions about sexual abuse, a vast majority of defendants refer to rape as “it” i.e: “(s)he askied for ‘it”, “oh, ‘it’ was just a cry for attention”-- does nicknaming ‘rape’ as ‘it’ make it less of a heinous crime? Does ‘it’ cushion the fact that someone survived the unwilling stripping of their innocence at a vulnerable time? According to an analysis made by RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), 97 of 100 rapists walk free with absolutely no consequences. Yet, somehow, a victim of sexual abuse ends up as the culprit. Victims of sexual abuse emerge as gender neutral (Rumney 481), and they can develop various problems such as: rape trauma syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, insecurity, and depression.
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On March 16, 2015, a rape case in Sweden involving a 13-year old girl and a 27 year old man ended with an unfair dismissal due to her body looking “well-developed” (HNGN) . Of course, that case may receive ‘ridiculous’ as a form of feedback but cases similar to the one HNGN article addressed get dismissed everyday – i.e. “the victim dressed too promiscuously”, “they were drunk”. Reality strikes when children under the age of 12 exhibit sexually maltreatment. What child asks for abuse? What prepubescent child ‘cries for attention’ when confessing about a sexual abuser? In ethical discussions, dignity has the definition as an ‘inherent and inviolable’ trait. But yet, a rape/abuse victim’s denoted dignity defies it’s ‘involiable’ trait. The mental health impact from rape and sexual abuse results in various psychological
On March 16, 2015, a rape case in Sweden involving a 13-year old girl and a 27 year old man ended with an unfair dismissal due to her body looking “well-developed” (HNGN) . Of course, that case may receive ‘ridiculous’ as a form of feedback but cases similar to the one HNGN article addressed get dismissed everyday – i.e. “the victim dressed too promiscuously”, “they were drunk”. Reality strikes when children under the age of 12 exhibit sexually maltreatment. What child asks for abuse? What prepubescent child ‘cries for attention’ when confessing about a sexual abuser? In ethical discussions, dignity has the definition as an ‘inherent and inviolable’ trait. But yet, a rape/abuse victim’s denoted dignity defies it’s ‘involiable’ trait. The mental health impact from rape and sexual abuse results in various psychological