What to Do and How to Report Rape So That the Rapist Can Be Convicted - Term Paper Example

Your full full April 24, Dealing with and Reporting Rape Introduction Rape involves power more than sex. The rapist wants to have power on the victim’s body and cause him or her pain by the use of force. Whatever his intentions may be, the unfortunate event leaves unforgetful imprints on the victim’s mind which he cannot free himself from however he may wish. It is important for everyone, boy or girl, to keep in mind certain things that he should do when attacked by a rapist. Though the sudden attack will not give the victim enough time to think, yet the need is to train one’s instincts as to what to do in an unexpected rape attack. This paper is going to discuss what to do and how to report rape so that the rapist can be convicted for his shameful act. What to Do The main instinct would be to scream, shout, kick, punch and yell at the rapist. This helps when you are in crowd and your shouting may bring help to you. When you start getting the feeling in the first place that somebody is trying to harass you sexually by touching or through any other cues, you must first of all tell him loudly to leave you alone or shout “Help”. Then if you are attacked, then it is natural that you will and have to shout for your sake. Kick him in his groin hard enough to get his hands off you. But what if you are in a desolate place? Rapists like deserted places where the victims cannot call for help or where there are no witnesses. In that case, screaming will do no good and the better thing would be to submit to the rapist to keep him from getting more violent and hurting you more. Men usually like to see terror they cause in women’s eyes and they enjoy it. So, when there is no help around, it would be better to stay calm so that you can come up with some idea to end this up. But if you decide to fight which is natural, then hit the rapist if you have something sharp in your hand like a bottle or anything you can grab and hit that will make him change his mind from continuing. Another good tip is that you should pretend as if you are going to vomit on the rapist’s face (Crislip). You can also try biting his hands or ears which will cause him enough pain to get off you. You can also tell him that you are suffering from AIDS! After knowing this, he will surely not wish to rape you or will discontinue even in the middle of the rape. Though vulgar to state here, but a sure tip to get him off you is to grab his scrotum and squeeze it hard till he yells for his life. You can do this by pretending as if you are enjoying the act and then grabbing his sensitive area and hurting it hard. Whether you decide to stay calm or you decide to fight back, one important thing to be done is study the rapist’s face attentively so that you can later on tell the police what the rapist looked like. You must notice his hair type, eye color, facial features, dress and nails so that you help the police in finding out the rapist. You can only do so if you do not lose your wits while you are being raped. One always has to remain in one’s senses because losing senses will do more harm than good. The most important thing that you must do comes here. You must try to snatch his hair and bite and scratch him with your nails as hard as you can so that you have enough evidence to give to the police for DNA testing and convicting the rapist of the crime. Also, do not go for a shower or wash yourself off after the unfortunate event, how you may wish, so that you do not wash off the evidence down the drain. This is very important to get the rapist caught so that he may not be able to harm you or other innocent people ever again in his life. After the event is over, go for medical care as soon as possible so that any internal injuries may be treated. Do not feel guilty though it comes as a natural instinct. You did not wish to do it; instead, it was done to you forcefully. So, you are not dirty. Reporting Rape How difficult it may seem, it is important for you to decide to report the sexual assault. Although doing so will not undo the event, it will save many others from getting harmed by the criminal. According to Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, Reporting to the police is the key to preventing sexual assault: every time we lock up a rapist, were preventing him or her from committing another attack. Its the most effective tool that exists to prevent future rapes. In the end, though, whether or not to report is your decision to make. Go straight to the police without wasting time so that you do not lose the evidence. If home is nearest, then go home to get a sigh of relief but try heading toward the police station as soon as possible without taking the shower or going to the toilet or washing your hands. That is important. If both the police station and home are at distance, call 911 or any emergency number. You can also go to the nearest hospital and tell the medics to call the police so that you can report the rape. The police will send you for a medical examination to collect the evidence, also called a sexual assault forensic examination, which includes collecting and preserving the rapists hair, libido and skin fibers found in the victim’s body. You must tell them to let you know what to expect in a medical examination. You must clear your mind so that you are able to write down an effective statement to the police so that investigation starts. Lastly, you will have to appear in the court for the prosecution of the case if you decide to pursue the case. Whether or not you decide to pursue the case, it would be wise to report the rape before you sit down to take time to decide. That way, the evidence will not get lost with time and you can always choose to withdraw from the case later on. Conclusion To sum up, the bottom line is that one has to deal with such an ill-fated incident as rape without losing one’s wits and senses. The rapist may be on his power trip but the victim should never forget to collect the evidence and study the criminal’s physique and clothing. This can only be done if the victim keeps control over his mind along with fighting the rapist physically. After the event, it is better for the victim to report the rape to the cops so that the rapist can be convicted of his crime and be punished for the awful act. Works Cited Crislip, Kathleen. “Avoiding Pesky Guys and Dealing With Rape While Traveling.” About.com: Student Travel. About.com, 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2010. . Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. Reporting Rape. RAINN, 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2010. Read More