Case Study Rape/ Date Rape
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Institutional Affiliation
Instructor’s Name
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Rape/ Date Rape
Rape is a form of sexual assault that involves unconsented sexual penetration. The Federal Bureau of Investigations defines it as the slightest penetration of the vagina or anus with any body part, object, oral penetration by another person’s sex organ, out of consent from the victim. Rape is a crime mostly is a form of violence against women, and so far, it remains one of the most severe challenges of our generation. It is a brutal crime to violate human rights across the world, multi-ethnic societies, and cross-cultural diversities. Globally, rape is a deviant criminal behavior. The perpetrators apply crude methods of executing it, including psychological torture, emotional coercion, violent threats to comply, and intimidation and manipulating the victim until they submit to sexual intercourse out of their consent. A rape ordeal is not only agonizing but also dehumanizing practice widely condemned from various global fronts ranging from the United Nations quarters to world treaties and charters as a violation of human rights.
Date rape is also referred to as acquaintance rape, whose perpetrators have willingly entered a dating or romantic relationship. It entails a breach of trust and can turn out to be a traumatic sexual assault with the same magnitude of effects on a stranger. Rape experiences mostly lead to adverse physical, psychological, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder effects on their victims. Following these incidences, rape victims may succumb to suicidal thoughts and frustrations that could lead to drug abuse. Victim survivors of both acquaintance rape and stranger rape blame themselves for allowing the advances of their perpetrators. However, it is vital to note that guilt is not on the victim but the perpetrators’ actions. Attempted rape or rape and rape are the same serious crime that leads to even leads to life imprisonment.
The motive this quantitative and qualitative discussion is to case study many date rape related incidences from female undergraduate university students from across different corners of the world. Various reports indicate those female university students are exposed to date rape than their peers not enrolled in the university. Date rape prevalence rate differs from country to country where; for instance, this case study revealed an average prevalence of 15% in the United States universities and Nigerian universities, and where rape is a significant concern among female university students (Ogunwale & Oshiname, 2017). This case study also acknowledged that many of the participants’ perceptions had some prior preconceived notions about date rape, and rape is only when the offender is a stranger and not one’s boyfriend. Therefore date rape is not as severe as being raped by a stranger. Most of the participants in this study opted not to report it because the stigma attached to it was worse than the rape itself.
Noteworthy, the whole study reveals that most female university students admit that the outcomes of date rape experiences occurred most during alcohol parties. Date rape is an ongoing truth in the university, and the victims were adolescents who don’t seek any medical advice that could lead to proper counseling and successful rehabilitation. Moreover, most rape case victims refuse to report the experiences due to fear of social discrimination and stigmatization or sought appropriate medical treatments in time, making it difficult to recover completely. The study participants revealed the use of some induced drugs, psychoactive substances, and alcohol facilitated sexual desires, efficiently helping perpetrators accomplish the act. It was revealed that the participants had little knowledge regarding date rape consequences. In Nigerian communities, date rape is not viewed as a crime or against the law and social norm (Aborisade, 2016).
Although there are unclear statistics from as many universities across the globe, there is a need for higher learning institutions to enroll through peer counseling and anti-rape educational programs. Also, I need to focus on promoting the sexual rights of female undergraduate students, engagements of school psychologists for social support, and counseling of survivor victims. We were astonished that most of the date rape victims continued romantic dating relationships with their said rapists. However, this is forced by the circumstances where the female’s students were financially dependent on their companions; thus, they suffer in silence.
In conclusion, this study noted that date rape is a matter of serious health concern to female university students in Nigeria Universities who suffer in silence and bears physical severe health implications and psychological burdens. There is a need to have strong advocacy against rape in universities, policy interventions, sensitizations, and the creation of awareness, counseling, and rehabilitation and proper implementation of legal actions against perpetrators. Most importantly, there is a need for behavioral and attitude change from these female students towards their perception of date rape as a regular affair. Firm sexual rights policy with anti-rape slogans would voice the respect and plight of women in universities.
Reference
Ogunwale, A. O., & Oshiname, F. O. (2017). A qualitative exploration of date rape survivors’ physical and psycho-social experiences in a Nigerian university. Journal of interpersonal violence, 32(2), 227-248. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0886260515585541
Aborisade, R. A. (2016). The Influence of Rape Myth Acceptance and Situational Factors in Defining Sex and Labelling Rape among Female University Students in Nigeria. African Journal of Criminology & Justice Studies, 9(1). https://www.umes.edu/uploadedFiles/_WEBSITES/AJCJS/Content/VOL%209.1%20ABORISADE%20FINAL.pdf