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Sexual Coercion

http://www.nsvrc.org/. Sexual Coercion. 04.23.09. What is rape?.

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Sexual Coercion

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  1. http://www.nsvrc.org/ Sexual Coercion 04.23.09

  2. What is rape? • A rape has been committed when a person forces, threatens with force or exploits another's inability to function to gain sexual access against the others will or consent (or inability to consent). Inability to function (or resist) can result from alcohol overuse, drugs, sleep or disability. Legally it is a felony. Emotionally it is a life-altering trauma. Consent is defined by the legal system as "positive cooperation.“

  3. Historical perspective • Publicity and Rape • Do we blame the victim?

  4. Types of rape: • Sexual assault: sexual activity that involves the use or threat of force • Rape: sexual activity without consent • Forcible rape: sexual activity obtained by the use/ threat of force • Stranger rape: committed by assailant unknown by victim • Acquaintance rape: committed by acquiantance • Date rape: group of assailants • Gang rape • Male rape • Partner rape

  5. Rape affects everyone • Around the world at least 1 in 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the abuser is a member of her own family. (John Hopkins School of Public Health 2000) • 77% of rapes are committed by someone known to the person raped. (Bureau of Justice Statistics 1997) • According to the National Victim Center, 683,000 women are raped each year. (1992) • Only 2% of rapists are convicted and imprisoned. (US Senate Judiciary Committee 1993) • 6 out of 10 rapes are reported by victims to have occurred in their own home or home of a friend, relative or neighbor. (US Dept. of Justice 1997)

  6. Rape and ethnicity • Women of all ethnicities are raped: American Indian/Alaska Native women are most likely to report a rape and Asian/Pacific Islander women the least likely. (National Institute of Justice 1998) • Reported rape victimization by race is: 34% of American Indian/Alaska Native; 24% women of mixed raceWomen with disabilities are raped and abused at twice the rate of the general population. (Sobsey 1994); 19% of African American women; 18% of white women; 8% of Asian/Pacific Islander women. (Tjaden and Thoennes, National Institute of Justice 1998) • 80-90% of rapes against women (except for American Indian women) are committed by someone of the same racial background as the victim. (US Dept. of Justice 1994) • American Indian victims of rape reported the offender as either white or black in 90% of reports. (Department of Justice 1997)

  7. High Risk • In a 1999 longitudinal study of 3,000 women, researchers found women who had been victimized before were seven times more likely to be raped again. (Acierno, Resnick, Kilpatrick, Saunders and Best, Jnl. of Anxiety Disorders 13, 6.) • Women with disabilities are raped and abused at twice the rate of the general population. (Sobsey 1994) • Women reporting a combined childhood history of physical and sexual abuse report the highest rape rates. (Merrill, Newell, Gold and Millen, Naval Health Research Center 1997)

  8. Rape and Gender • An estimated 91% of victims of rape are female, 9% are male and 99% of offenders are male. (Bureau of Justice Statistics 1999) • 93% of women and 86% of men who were raped and/or physically assaulted since the age of 18 were assaulted by a male. (National Violence Against Women Survey, 1998) • Sexual assault is reported by 33-46% of women who are being physically assaulted by their husbands. (AMA 1995)

  9. Rape in College • In a study of 6,000 students at 32 colleges in the US, 1 in 4 women had been the victims of rape or attempted rape. (Warshaw, Robin 1994 "I Never Called It Rape") • 42% of rape victims told no one and only 5% reported it to the police. (Warshaw 1994) • Of the nearly 3000 male students surveyed, 1 in 12 male students surveyed had committed acts that met the legal definition of rape or attempted rape. (Warshaw 1994) • Of these college males who committed rape (as legally defined), 84% said what they did was definitely not rape. (Warshaw 1994) • In another study, 13% of college women indicated they had been forced to have sex in a dating situation. (Johnson and Sigler, Jnl. of Interpersonal Violence, 2000) • A study of 477 male students, mostly 1st and 2nd year students, found 56% reported instances of non-assaultive coercion to obtain sex. Examples included: threatening to end a relationship; falsely professing love; telling lies to render her more sexually receptive. (Boeringer 1996, Violence Against Women:5) • Of the 22 substances used in drug facilitated rape, alcohol is the most common finding in investigations. (Jnl. of Forensic Sciences 1999)

  10. Safety • Know the real picture. Most rapes (85%) are committed by non-strangers and in familiar, social situations. • Men who rape usually try to gain trust to test your boundaries. • If they judge you to be passive and easily dominated, they move in. • Trust your very first feeling of uneasiness. • Don't dismiss that feeling. • Act on it by firmly saying "no", "leave me alone" or leave if necessary. • Don't worry about hurting feelings or appearing rude. • Use a strong, serious voice. Don't plead or play cute. • Don't apologize. • Look for others to assist if you need to. • If the aggressor is an intimate partner, tell them in a serious tone that you are not comfortable and want them to stop. Now. • Try not to smile or laugh out of nervousness. • Believe in your right to your own body.

  11. Safety at parties • Be aware that men who rape often use alcohol to exploit your vulnerability. They tend to try to make you drink more than you intended. • Keep in control of your drinking. • Don't leave a drink unattended, or accept a drink that someone else has given you. Most times this is harmless, but you are trying to avoid the one time it isn't. • Think ahead. Have a safe way to get home already planned. • If in a group, plan ahead to watch out for one another. • If a friend looks as though she or he is losing control, step in and take care of them. • If a friend is harassing women, make it your concern. • Remember you cannot tell the good guys from the bad guys by appearance or good looks. • Watch out for someone who is pressuring you; who keeps giving you drinks; who wants to get you alone; who guilt trips you if you are reluctant. • Don't use sex to keep someone's attraction or respond to guilt-trips.

  12. At home • Most rapes are from non-strangers. However stranger rape is still a reality. • Keep outside doors locked. Don't be afraid to be assertive and ask strangers to wait outside. • Make sure all doors have good deadbolt locks. Landlords are required to supply them. • Be sure all windows have locks. For sliding doors or windows, place a wooden or metal rod between the moveable pane and the opposite casing. • Get to know your neighbors so you can get help if necessary and are familiar with who is coming and going in the neighborhood.

  13. On the street • Be alert. Be aware of who else is on the street. Make it difficult for anyone to surprise you. • Walk assertively. • Don't be afraid to ask for help if someone is making you feel threatened.

  14. Intimate partner violence • Occurs between two people in a close relationship • Includes current and former spouses and dating partners • Continuum: single episode to ongoing battering

  15. 4 types of violence: • Physical abuse: when a person hurts or tries to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, burning or other physical force. • Sexual abuse: forcing a partner to take part in a sexual act when the partner does not consent • Threats: of physical or sexual abuse include the use of words, gestures, weapons, or other means to communicate the intent to cause harm • Emotional abuse: threatening a partner or his or her possessions, loved ones, or harming a partner’s sense of self worth. Examples are stalking, name calling, intimidation, or not letting a partner see friends and family. • IPV often starts with emotional abuse and can progress to physical or sexual assault.

  16. IPV: a public health problem • Each year, women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner related physical assaults and rapes. Men are the victims of about 2.9 million assaults • IPV resulted in 1,544 deaths in 2004. (25% were male and 75% female) • The cost of IPV is estimated at $8.3 billion (includes medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity)

  17. Who is at risk for IPV? • Risk factors for perpetration (hurting a partner) • Using drugs, alcohol, especially heavy drinking • Seeing or being a victim of violence as a child • Unemployment (heightened stress)

  18. IPV prevention • Promote health dating relationships • Focus on young people who are learning dating skills • Social norms • Role models • Youth mentoring programs • Modeling non-violent behavior

  19. How to help a friend? • How do you help a friend who is in a violent relationship?

  20. Sexual abuse among children • nncc.org: children are legally incapable of consenting • By age 18, one of every four girls and one of every six boys has been sexually abused. • Sexual abuse happens when an adult or older child uses a younger child for sexual stimulation. The stimulation may take the form of sexual fondling, handling of the genitals, attempted penetration, oral sex, or intercourse. A father watching his teenage daughter undress and shower is an example of hands-off sexual abuse. • Is sexual activity between two 15 year olds child abuse?

  21. Eighty-five percent of sexual assaults on children are committed by someone the child knows and usually trusts - an immediate family member, a relative, a neighbor, or a friend of the family. • Most offenders are male. They come from all age, income, and educational groups. Their approach is usually not violent, although it often involves a threat or a bribe. The child might hear, "I won't like you anymore," or "I'll give you ..." The abuser relies on the child's ignorance, helplessness, and a lack of a clear understanding that she is being hurt. • Pedophilia v. molestation

  22. Short/ long term consequences • Anger • Depression • Anxiety • Eating disordres • Inappropriate sexual behavior • Aggressive behavior • Self-destructive behavior • Sexual promiscuity • Drug abuse • Suicide attempts • PTSD • Low self-esteem • Sexual dysfunction • Mistrust of others • Feelings of detachment

  23. Post traumatic stress Disorder • Characterized by: • Flashbacks • Nightmares • Numbing emotions • Feelings of estrangement • Ex. Molly

  24. Every child should know. . . • There is a difference between good, bad, and confusing touch. • It is all right to say no. • There are no secrets. • You should refuse a request if it: feels weird; will separate you from other children; goes against family rules; involves a secret; or seems like an unearned special favor.

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