Child Abuse and Acquaintance Rape - Term Paper Example

? Child Abuse and Acquaintance Rape 19th, November, Introduction Child abuse relates to unlawful emotional, physical, sexual, neglect, social, psychological mistreatments that affects the child’s growth, rights, health, life, self-esteem, and survival (Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 2008). Child neglect, physical and emotional harm on children, exploitation, sexual abuse, child trafficking, kidnapping, and child pornography by a caretaker, acquaintance, or a family member characterize child abuse victims. The offenders are brutal, discriminatory, inhuman, criminals, extortionists, have no love for the child, and sometimes on a mission to avenge. As a result, there is a National Children’s Alliance that entails victim advocacy and child advocacy that addresses this crime (National Children’s Alliance, 2009). Acquaintance rape refers to a form of rape where offenders known to the victims use coercion or force to carry out sexual activities on the victims. The offender may be classmates, relatives, a teacher, a friend, a colleague, former or current intimate friend, or any other person known to the victim. The offenders are usually drug takers, sexually attracted to the victim, or on a mission to avenge. They fake friendship in order to gain the trust of the would-be-victims. The crime can take place in a party, on date, at school, in the victim or offender's residence. The victims mostly blame themselves thus leading to distress, humiliation, mood swings, nightmares, substance abuse, low self-esteem, anger, depression, self-blame, self-harm, and utmost suicide (RAINN, 2009). A Rape Victim Advocacy Program seeks to help victims and their families to cope with the mistreatment as well as preventing the occurrence of acquaintance rape in the society (The University of Iowa Foundation, 2012). Literature Review In addressing the victims of child abuse and acquaintance rape, this paper will consider three relevant articles for each victim. The article “Prevention of child maltreatment” by the World Health Organization highlights the organization’s quest to foster more child abuse-prevention activities. Indeed, the article confirms the continuous Global Campaign for Violence Prevention and the recently adopted three-scale strategy of preventing violence against children. In the strategy, World Health Organization acknowledges the fact that child abuse is a global public health issue. Indeed, according to the article, World Health Organization confirms high prevalence of child abuse among children under the age of 18. In addition, the article reckons that the strategy seeks to promote the realization of the implementation of the recommendations of the World report on violence and health. More so, the article draws our attention to collaboration between WHO and the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) to curb child abuse in the world (WHO, 2012). The article, “Prevalence and incidence of child abuse and neglect” by National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, draws our attention to trusted statistics relating to child abuse in the world. Indeed, according to the article, about 50,500 children in the UK are currently experiencing child abuse with approximately 25% of children in the world experiencing child abuse in their childhood. Nevertheless, the article confirms that cases of neglect are under-reported and under-recorded. However, the article details some findings from research findings on domestic abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sex abuse, and extreme child abuse in the recent past. Furthermore, the article articulates and highlights the statistics on the tendency of children’s failure to report acts of abuse or violence against them (NSPCC, 2011). The article, “Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect: Signs and Symptoms” by Child Welfare Information Gateway details ways, signs, and methods of identifying child abuse among children. At the same time, the article is consistent in establishing the presence of child abuse from the parent as well as identifying the type of abuse against the child. The article also details the specific signs on physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect on children from both the parent and child’s point of view. More so, the article confirms that we can only help and prevent child abuse by taking time to establish its presence and mode (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2007). On the other hand, the article,” Acquaintance rape” by The Permanente Medical Group, details on how Acquaintance rape occurs and when and where it is most prevalent. Most assuredly, the article confirms that Acquaintance rape mostly occurs among college students and mostly freshmen. Additionally, the article reckons that most Acquaintance rape cases go unreported subject to the relationship between the offender and the victim. The article gives the statistics to support this notion. The article equally highlights the effects of Acquaintance rape on the victim and the fact that victim mostly absorbs the blame and is frequently threatened by the offender. Furthermore, the article states that most Acquaintance rape cases are true even though the victim and the offender may be spouses. The article consequently gives protection guidelines against acquaintance rape, gives tips on creating an environment safe from acquaintance rape, and gives concrete directions on what to do in case an acquaintance rape occurs (The Permanente Medical Group, 2008). The article, “acquaintance rape” by counseling center Drexel University clearly defines acquaintance rape as a non-consensual sexual intercourse that involves the use of force or coercion by a friend or acquaintance. The article further claims that both men and women are prone to acquaintance rape against their will and can even occur on same sex relationships. Moreover, the article gives statistics of acquaintance rape and its victims. The statistics equally states the relationship between acquaintance rape victims and alcohol. It also relates acquaintance rape to subsequent suicide cases and response to legal provisions. The article further gives relevant tips to both men and women to prevent and how to react after acquaintance rape occurs. Nevertheless, the article draws our attention to cases of unreported acquaintance rape cases (Drexel University, 2012). The article, “Acquaintance Rape on College and University Campuses” by The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress seeks to define acquaintance rape in a college context. In addition, the article gives precautionary behavioral measures to avoid being prone to acquaintance rape, and details the procedure to follow in case of an acquaintance rape so as to access justice to both the victim and the offender. The article equally relates this crime to alcohol and drug use and the various methods the offenders use to trick the victims to acquaintance rape (The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, 2012). Comparison and Contrast of Child Abuse and Acquaintance Rape Data Collection Issues Child Abuse Victim We can rely on official government statistics or non-governmental statistics like those of World Health Organization as well as trusted research statistics from various scholars to analyze child abuse victim. Specifically, the Child protection register statistics, the Child abuse, and neglect in the UK today, and National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children research are the sources of our data. However, there are problems with data sources since they do not entail all cases of child abuse, as some do not report. Indeed, children may not have the access to register these cases, as some may be too young to do so while in other cases the offenders prevent them from reporting. More so, these figures vary from one country to another. As such, the statistics do not reflect the actual figures and by extension the extent of child abuse in the world. Acquaintance Rape Victim Data sources may include research, surveys, personal confessions, data from non-governmental institutions that fight against acquaintance rape, acquaintance rape proceedings in a court of law, and relevant scholarly studies. Indeed, the United States Bureau of Justice, National Victim Center, The Permanente Medical Group, and Kaiser Permanente Health wise Handbook specifically provide information on acquaintance rape victims, its prevalence, and the unreported cases. Nevertheless, not all cases of acquaintance rape reach the responsible authorities as the crime involves people known to one another. As such, many victims do not report but instead blame themselves for what happened. In fact, although all reported cases are mostly true, the unreported cases are significantly many and thus the data sources do not accurately portray the extent of the problem. Hence, both data sources do not reflect the accurate scope of the crime. Nevertheless, the present sources of data are reliable. However, in both cases, there are many unreported cases and the victim suffers offence from a family member or an acquaintance. Degree of Shared Responsibility Child Abuse Victim The child abuse victim is in many cases not party to or responsible to what happened to them. Indeed, some of the child abuse atrocities come unnoticed by the victims. Adult carryout abuse on children during childhood and children has no strength or will to resist such acts. Indeed, the children are largely innocent and their actions do not contribute in any way to them becoming victims of child abuse. They innocently fall prey. However, during teenage, children can engage in acts that makes them prone to child abuse. For example, if they engage in drug and substance abuse, they can significantly contribute to their sexual abuse. However, in most cases truly “innocent” victims represent child abuse victims. Acquaintance Rape Victim The victims in this case are not entirely innocent to what happened to them. Indeed, most students go to college to seek for future partners in addition to education. They equally engage in behaviors such as flirting, drinking, provocative clothing, sex talks, partying at night, and allowing their colleagues of the opposite sex in their room. These acts put them in location, environment, and conditions that are prone to acquaintance rape. Indeed, some do not even know how to say no to charms coercing them to sexual activities (The University of Iowa Foundation, 2012). As such, they play a large part in what happened to them. Nevertheless, though few in numbers, we have others who fall prey to acts of acquaintance rape innocently. As such, victims who are sometimes at higher risk to become victims because of their own actions represent the acquaintance rape victims. Hence, as seen both victims manifest a significant portion of innocence to what happened to them. Indeed, almost all children are innocent and contribute nothing to the acts of child abuse that befall them. On the other hand, a significant number of women fall into acts of acquaintance rape innocently and can do nothing to prevent it. Victim Blaming Child Abuse Victim Although victim –blaming happens in most of the crimes that occur in our daily lives, it is sensible to conclude that in child abuse victim blaming do not apply. Indeed, a child cannot do anything to motivate an offender to harm, molest, or torment a child. As such, instead of blaming the victim in this case, people sympathize with them. As such, no problems from victim blaming that can affect the victim’s interactions with law enforcement agencies and the course of seeking justice in this context. Nevertheless, we have teenagers who engage in drug and substances at an earlier age thus arousing a rare chance of victim blaming thus affecting the line of criminal justice. Acquaintance Rape Victim In this case, many instances can lead to victim blaming. Indeed, where the victim engages in behaviors such as flirting, drug and substance abuse, provocative clothing, partying at night among other behaviors that promote the occurrence of acquaintance rape, the victims bears full or partial blame (The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, 2012). As such, the victim bears humiliation, depression, low self-esteem, and utmost suicide. These aspects prevent the victim from reporting the crime and thus affecting a victim’s interactions with law enforcement agencies, the courts, and correctional agencies. Nevertheless, even if the victim reports, the case may turn against them as the offenders can easily obtain exonerating evidence thus hindering the victim’s course of seeking justice. As seen above, the aspect of victim blaming manifests in both cases though it is very slim in a child abuse case. Nevertheless, victim blaming is quite clear and rampant in an acquaintance rape victim thus affecting a victim’s interactions with law enforcement agencies, the courts, and correctional agencies. Available Support Child Abuse Victim Since, children many not be able to report cases of abuse, most governments have established a criminal justice system via enacting laws that define children rights, acts of child abuse, and subsequent punishments for the offenders. Additionally, non-governmental organizations like WHO have initiated programs like the Global Campaign for Violence Prevention in collaboration with the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) to prevent child abuse in the world. Moreover, there is a National Children’s Alliance that entails victim advocacy and child advocacy whose mandate is to address child abuse cases with priority to the rights of child abuse victims. Other available services include counseling and medication that victims can only access with the help of an adult. Acquaintance Rape Victim Most of all, victims should understand that acquaintance rape is a crime in law and should thus report to the police for the sake of initiating criminal justice to both the victim and the offender. A Rape Victim Advocacy Program seeks to help victims and their families to cope with the mistreatment as well as preventing the occurrence of acquaintance rape in the society (The University of Iowa Foundation, 2012). In addition, there is a Criminal Justice Advocacy available to the victims for purposes of connecting the victim to the police, prosecutor, and the court (Illinois Coalition against Sexual Assault, 2010). The courts are always ready to accord justice to the victims upon conviction of the offenders. There are other support services outside the criminal justice system. Indeed, victims have access to family support that is necessary in comforting and initiating healing. Additionally, there are emergency rape call lines available to assist the rape victims’ access first aid and necessary treatment. At the same time, medical support is available to such victims. The medication will include testing for sexually transmitted diseases (The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, 2012), tests for pregnancy, and examinations on physical injury (The Permanente Medical Group, 2008). Additionally, counseling services are also available to the victims thus offering emotional support and initiating healing. Other support services include online support groups that fight for zero rape cases in the world. Victims can easily access these services. As seen herein, there are victim advocacy programs that promote the acquisition of justice by both victims. In addition, both child abuse and acquaintance rape fall under the criminal justice since both are crimes and victims are thus both victims and offenders are entitled to justice via this system. Arguments for Support/Services for Victim Child Abuse Victim A child abuse victim is entitled to services that guarantee criminal justice. This would serve a better part in ensuring deterrence of a recurrence to such a crime where a heavy punishment falls on the offender. More so, the victim is entitled to counseling services to help them heal from the offence. However, most assuredly, the victim should get medical support for purposes of treating any physical injuries. The medical support should equally check and treat sexually transmitted diseases in case of a sexual offence. Indeed, it is better to deal with other emotional problems after dealing with physical pain and possible diseases. This will guarantee good health, ensure continued growth, and remove physical scars of the abuse. The victim equally needs the victim advocacy and child advocacy to ensure the rights of a child abuse victim comes first in addressing this crime. Acquaintance Rape Victim An acquaintance rape victim is equally entitled to legal support services since rape is a crime. In this case, the criminal justice should guarantee justice to the victim by instituting heavy fines and punishment to the offender. This will effectively serve in deterring would-be rapists from committing the crime thus preventing other potential victims from suffering this offence. The victim should also access medical support to treat physical injuries, check and treat sexually transmitted diseases, and check for pregnancy incase the victim is a woman. This would help the victim to physically heal and regain normal health. Additionally, the physician can induce a morning pill thus preventing unwanted pregnancy. More so, the victim should access counseling services to help the victim recover from self-blame, trauma, and initiate the healing process. Family support and access to the Rape Victim Advocacy Program is necessary in helping the victim in coping with the mistreatment. Indeed, both victims require medical services and support to treat physical injuries, check, and treat sexually transmitted diseases. They equally need criminal justice, as both are victims of criminal offences committed under law. Indeed, only criminal justice system can serve justice to the victims and prevent criminals from committing such crimes in the future. Counseling services and Victim Advocacy Programs are essential to help victims cope with the mistreatment and heal from the atrocity. Conclusion Where child abuse relates to all forms of unlawful emotional, physical, sexual, neglect, social, psychological mistreatments, acquaintance rape refers to refers to a form of rape where offenders known to the victims use coercion or force to carry out sexual activities on the victims. Both crimes affect the victims physically, emotionally, and sexually. Additionally, both are crimes under law that calls for the application of criminal justice. More so, both victims will require medicinal attention to treat possible physical injury and sexually transmitted diseases. They equally need counseling services to treat emotional pain, help the victims to cope with the mistreatment, and initiating healing from the trauma. However, unlike in child abuse victim, the acquaintance rape victim largely bears victim blame for their actions that led to what happened to them. The acquaintance rape victim is entitled to the Rape Victim Advocacy Program while the child abuse victim is entitled to child advocacy. Acquaintance rape victims can access online support groups but child abuse victims cannot. In both cases, the data sources do not reflect the actual position of the problem in the world due to reporting anomalies. References Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2007). Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect: Signs and Symptoms. Retrieved from: http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/signs.cfm Drexel University. (2012). Acquaintance Rape. Retrieved from: http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/support_health_services/support_health_services_cc_ucmc/self_help_topics/acquaintance_rape/ Illinois Coalition against Sexual Assault. (2010). After Sexual Assault. Retrieved from: http://icasa.org/docs/brochures/aqr%202012.pdf National Children’s Alliance. (2009). Child Advocacy – Putting the needs of child abuse victims first. Retrieved from: http://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/ NSPCC. (2011). Prevalence and incidence of child abuse and neglect. Retrieved from: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/statistics/prevalence_and_incidence_of_child_abuse_and_neglect_wda48740.html RAINN. (2009). Acquaintance Rape. Retrieved from: http://www.rainn.org/get-information/types-of-sexual-assault/acquaintance-rape Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (2008). What is Child Abuse? Retrieved from: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/pubs/ccaps-spcca/chi-enf-eng.htm The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. (2012). Acquaintance Rape on College and University Campuses. Retrieved from: http://www.aaets.org/article135.htm The Permanente Medical Group. (2008). Acquaintance Rape. Retrieved from: http://www.permanente.net/homepage/kaiser/pdf/6157.pdf The University of Iowa Foundation. (2012). Rape Victim Advocacy Program. Retrieved from: https://www.uifoundation.org/GiveToIowa/WebObjects/GiveToIowa.woa/wa/goTo?area=rvap WHO. (2012). Prevention of child maltreatment. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/activities/child_maltreatment/en/index.html Read More