Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is a term that is used interchangeably with the word rape. The decision on whether or not to use the term rape or sexual assault is made by a state's jurisdiction. Sexual assault is more readily used in an attempt to be more gender neutral (National Victim Center). Sexual assault can be most easily described as forced or unconsentual sexual intercourse. The individual that is performing these acts on the victim may either be a stranger or an acquaintance. In 1994, 64.2 percent of all rapes were committed by someone the offender had previously known (Ringel, 1997). Regardless, this type of crime can have extreme effects on the victim. Sexual assault is a traumatic event that can cause extreme psychological effects on the victim. These effects can be short-term, and they can manifest themselves into long-term effects, depending on the individual and how the sexual assault occurred. Victims of sexual assault can be either male or female, with both sexes having fairly similar psychological effects. In addition to these psychological effects, some individuals develop Rape Trauma Syndrome or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can be more easily classified as short-term versus long-term responses. Every indi
In the second phase, called the recoil stage, the victim struggles "to adapt to the violation and tries to reintegrate their fragmented selves" (Bard and Sangrey, 1979, pg. 40). During this phase, the victim tries to recover. This phase is very complex and deals with a lot of issues and emotions. The victim often faces extreme fear and anxiety. They become fearful of their safety, as well as anxious in their surrounding environment. They are afraid of the person that has violated them as well as fearful of being alone. They also may "fear the medical, legal, or social consequences of the crime" (CASA House). During this phase, the victim experiences sadness and depression, as well as low self-esteem. Along with this phase comes anger. The victim either becomes angry with the person who defiled them or they may turn against themselves. (Bard and Sangrey, 1979, pg. 45). The victim has a sense of guilt and blame. They often ask themselves "why did I go there by myself?" or "why didn't I fight back harder?" During this phase, the victim may also suffer from mood swings (Bard and Sangrey, 1979, pg. 46). They may go from happiness to sudden sadness, or from rage to despair. The second phase, called the reorganization phase, of rape trauma syndrome has three types of effects. The short-term effects usually last up to three or four months. The symptoms include generalized fear or anxiety. They feel fearful and anxious in a variety of situations (Clancy, 1998). The victim may have a loss of appetite and/or experience a disturbance in their sleeping habits, as well as in their thought processes or relationships (Clancy, 1998). The victim may have difficulty in social functioning, as well as maintaining and/or establishing intimate relationships. (Clancy, 1998). The final effect of this second phase includes the long-term effects of the traumatic event. These reactions or symptoms could last up to four years. Reactions include anger, which could be directed at the "offender, at the legal system or at their family and/or friends" (Clancy, 1998). The victim
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Approximate Word count = 1407
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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