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Sexual Assault
Sexual
Assault is a very personal and traumatic violence. Here we
provide information on the crime of sexual assault, ways to
protect yourself, and resources for victims, their families and
friends. Somewhere
in America, a woman is sexually assaulted every 2 minutes,
according to the U.S. Department of Justice. If
you were raped… Get
to a safe place if possible! Call Police or 911.
Don’t wash or destroy any bedding, linens, or clothing.
Don’t disturb anything at the crime scene.
Don't change your clothing. The police at the
hospital will take it as evidence and send it away to be
examined.
Don’t shower, douche, smoke, rinse your mouth, or apply
medication.
If possible, do not urinate or move your bowels. If you must, do
not use tissue.
Try to remember anything you can about the attacker; his voice,
his hair, his clothing, any scars or tattoos, birthmarks,
certain expressions he used frequently, which way he went
when he left you.
Report the incident to the police Get medical attention as soon
as possible.
*Rape
Trauma Syndrome Impact on the Survivor
Immediate reactions vary. Some survivors
remained controlled; numb, in shock, denial disbelief. They
present a flat affect, quiet, reserved, and have difficulties
expressing themselves. Other survivors respond quite
differently being very expressive and verbalizing feelings of
sadness or anger. They may appear distraught or anxious
and may even express rage or hostility against the medical staff
attempting to care for them.
The acute phase begins immediately and lasts up to several days
after the attack. The survivor feels violated and fearful and
may be depressed—even suicidal. The victim struggles with
feelings of loss of control and may note changes in appetite,
sleep habits or social functions. Survivors may note
change in their sexual patterns at this time.
In the second stage, it seems that survivors
begin to resolve their issues. This stage is also called the
“flight to health.” But denial frequently masks
the under lying problems as survivors make an effort to
re-establish the routines of their life and bring back some
semblance of control. Sometimes, in an effort to feel back
in control, rape victims make dramatic changes in lifestyle or
environment. They may quit a long standing job or move to a new
location to get a fresh start. They may dramatically
change their appearance; cut their hair or perhaps change the
color. None of the changes brings about the security they
search for as nightmares and phobias emerge. They work hard to
suppress the feelings because dealing with them is so very
painful.
But the feelings do not go away as easily as before. Their
re-surfacing introduces the third stage of the Rape Trauma
Syndrome. The client no longer denies the issues; she/he
may want to talk about what happened. The client finds
themselves more willing to accept counseling and get in touch
with the feelings and emotions associated with the rape.
Survivors may feel overwhelmed as they attempt to deal with
feelings they struggled to suppress since the assault. Often
some sensory stimulation triggers memories that calls to mind
the sexual assault. Suddenly the survivor seems to be
re-living the trauma as the rape comes to life again.
Nightmares, phobias, depression, reoccurring thoughts and sexual
dysfunction monopolize her thoughts. She feels anxious to talk
about it; to deal with it and is ready to seek therapy although
she may not understand why the issues surface at that time. The
stages are not linear and can vary as the victim works their way
through. Survivors find themselves taking one step forward and
two back as they vacillate between stages and labor to find
their way.
Various factors may aid or inhibit the survivors ability to
resolve the issues associated by the rape. Positive feelings of
self esteem, good support systems, previous success in dealing
with crisis and economic security all enhance her ability to
heal. Survivors who can minimize, (deal with one small segment
of the problem at a time ) often find success. Certainly
survivors moved to action gain confidence as they implement
decisions. But survivors who suffer with chronic stress, lack of
support systems and prior victimization struggle less
successfully to resolve their issues. Negative self esteem often
hinders their progress and paralyze their efforts. These victims
often use maladaptive methods to deal with their stress. These
factors hamper their ability to resolve the issues of the rape
and move beyond it.
While some survivors move forward and take
control of their lives, other continue to suffer and may
even develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as result of the
rape. They struggle with reoccurring thoughts about the
trauma and find themselves in a state of hyper vigilance; easily
startled and always anticipating another attack. Nightmares,
flashbacks, and sleep disturbances disrupt their lives. Constant
efforts to avoid the memories of trauma literally control their
existence. Some rape survivors have post traumatic
stress disorder for years and need continuous counseling and
support. Below is a list of Sexual Violence Programs in
Tennessee:
| Program Name |
Hotline Number |
Location |
| Battered
Women |
800-641-3434 |
Crossville |
| C.E.A.S.E/Hamblen
Co. |
423-581-2220 |
Morristown |
| Family
& Children's Services |
423-755-2700 |
Chattanooga |
| Family
Resource Agency |
423-476-3886 |
Cleveland |
| Sexual
Assault Crisis Center |
865-522-7273 |
Knoxville |
| Sexual
Assault Response Ctr. |
423-928-4710 |
Johnson
City |
| The
H.O.P.E. House |
423-745-5289 |
Athens |
| Domestic
Violence Program |
615-896-2012 |
Murfreesboro |
| Genesis
House, Inc. |
800-707-5197 |
Cookeville |
| Rape
& Sexual Abuse Center |
800-879-1999 |
Clarksville/Nashville |
| City
of Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center |
901-272-2020 |
Memphis |
| Pathways
Behavioral Health Services |
800-372-0693 |
Dyersburg,
Lexington, Jackson, Martin, Union City |
| Women's
Resource & Rape Assistance Program |
731-935-7233 |
Jackson |
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The
Facts About Sexual Violence
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Fact
#1: One of every four reported rapes take place in
a public area or in a parking garage. (Violence Against
Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of
Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#2: 31% of female victims reported that the
offender was a stranger. (Violence against Women,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Justice,
1994.)
Fact
#3: An overwhelming majority of rape service
agencies believe that public education about rape, and
expanded counseling and advocacy services for rape
victims would be effective in increasing the willingness
of victims to report rapes to the police. (Rape in
America, 1992, National Victim Center with Crime Victims
Research and Treatment Center.)
Fact
#4: The FBI estimates that only 37% of all rapes
are reported to the police. U.S. Justice Department
statistics are even lower, with only 26% of all rapes or
attempted rapes being reported to law enforcement
officials.
Fact
#5: Somewhere in America, a woman is raped every
2 minutes. (National Crime Victimization Survey.
Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of
Justice, 1996.)
Fact
#6: In 1995, 354,670 women were the victims of a
rape or sexual assault. (National Crime Victimization
Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of
Justice, 1996.)
Fact
#7: Over the last two years, more than 787,000
women were the victims of a rape or sexual assault. (National
Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice
Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.)
Fact
#8: It is estimated that 72 of every 100,000
females in the United States were raped last year. (Federal
Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Statistics,
1996.)
Fact
#9: Approximately 28% of victims of sexual
violence are raped by their husbands or boyfriends, 35%
by acquaintances, and 5% by other relatives. (Violence
against Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept.
of Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#10: In 1994-1995, only 251,560 rapes and sexual
assaults were reported to law enforcement officials --
less than one in every three. (National Crime
Victimization Survey, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S.
Department of Justice, 1996.)
Fact
#11: 68% of rapes occur between the hours of 6
p.m. and 6 a.m. (Violence against Women, Bureau of
Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#12: At least 45% of rapists are under the
influence of alcohol or drugs. (Violence against
Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of
Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#13: In 29% of rapes, the offender uses a
weapon. (Violence against Women, Bureau of Justice
Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#14: In 47% of rapes, the victim sustained
injuries other than rape injuries. (Violence against
Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of
Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#15: 75% of female rape victims require medical
care after the attack. (Violence against Women,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Justice,
1994.)
Fact
#16: Approximately one-third of all juvenile
victims of sexual abuse cases are children younger than
6 years of age. (Violence and the Family, Report of
the American Psychological Association Presidential Task
Force on Violence and the Family, 1996.)
Fact
#17: According to the Justice Department, one in
two rape victims are under age 18; one in six are under
age 12. (Child Rape Victims, 1992. U.S. Department of
Justice.)
Fact
#18: About 81% of rape victims are white; 18%
are black; 1% are of other races. (Violence Against
Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of
Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#19: About half of all rape victims are in the
lowest third of income distribution; half are in the
upper two-thirds. (Violence against Women, Bureau of
Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 1994.)
Fact
#20: Two new studies of adolescent girls have
found that 1 in 4 has been sexually or physically abused
or forced by a date to have sex against her will. (New
York Times, 10/1/97.)
Fact
#21: 18% of girls in grades 5 through 12 report
some form of physical or sexual abuse, more than half of
which was perpetrated by a family member. (Commonwealth
Fund 1997.)
Fact
#22: In 1995 more than 180,000 calls were made
to 911 for family disputes in New York City. (NY
Police Department 1995 Statistics.)
Fact
#23: The total annual cost of domestic violence
to NYC residents is $500 million. This includes the
costs of emergency room visits, law enforcement, court
action detention, homelessness, and foster care, as well
as the money that employers lose to reduced worker
productivity, increased turnover, and absenteeism. (NYC
Statistics from the 1996 Report of the Commission on
Domestic Violence)
Fact
#24: Domestic violence occurs in approximately
25-33% of same-sex relationships. (NYC Gay and
Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, October 1996.)
Fact
#25: Boys who witness their fathers' violence
are 10 times more likely to engage in spouse abuse in
later adulthood than boys from non-violent homes. (Family
Violence Interventions for the Justice System, 1993)
Fact
#26: In a recent survey by the Kenyan Women
Rights Awareness Program, 70% of the men and women
interviewed said they knew neighbors who beat their
wives. Nearly 60% said women were to blame for the
beatings. Just 51% said the men should be punished. (The
New York Times, 10/31/97)
Fact
#27: Somewhere in America a woman is battered,
usually by her intimate partner, every 15 seconds. (UN
Study On The Status of Women, Year 2000)
Fact
#28: A University of Pennsylvania research study
found that domestic violence is the leading cause of
injury to low-income, inner-city Philadelphia women
between the ages of 15 to 44 — more common than
automobile accidents, mugging and rapes combined. In
this study domestic violence included injuries caused by
street crime.
Fact
#29: Every 90 seconds, somewhere in America,
someone is sexually assaulted. (Rape, Abuse and
Incest National Network (RAINN). RAINN calculation based
on 1999 USDOJ NCVS data.)
Fact
#30: 22 to 35% of women who visit emergency
rooms are there for injuries related to on-going abuse.
Fact
#31: Medical expenses from domestic violence
total at least $3 to $5 billion annually.
Fact
#32: At least 60 million girls who would
otherwise be expected to be alive are
"missing" from various populations, mostly in
Asia, as a result of sex-selective abortions,
infanticide or neglect. (UN Study On The Status of
Women, Year 2000)
Fact
#33: Globally, at least one in three women and girls
had been beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime. (UN
Commission on the Status of Women, 2/28/00)
Fact
#34: A new report suggests that one in five
adolescent girls become the victims of physical or
sexual violence, or both, in a dating relationship. (New
York Times, 8/01/01)
Provided by Feminist.com
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Resource
Center
Tennessee
Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
National
Sexual Violence Resource Center
Rape And
Sexual Abuse Center
Rape,
Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) Call
RAINN's national hotline toll-free on 1-800-656-HOPE
(1-800-656-4673).
Security On Campus, Inc.
Victim Assistance Services
601 South Henderson Road
Suite 205
King Of Prussia, PA 19406
TOLL-FREE Hotline (nationwide):
1-888-251-7959
Office: (610) 768-9330
Fax: (610) 768-0646
socoffice@campussafety.org
Men
Can Stop Rape
The
Survivor's Page
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