Sexual Violence - Essay Example

Sexual Violence It would not be a mistake to suggest that sexual violence still remains one of the most nagging issues of the contemporary society. This paper will analyze a specific type of crime that is connected to it namely, rape. However, one should point out that the very definition of this crime is able to provide valuable insights into it. For example, Federal Bureau of Investigation came up with the following formula: “Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim” (FBI, 2014). No matter how logical this definition might seem, one should keep in mind that different states are entitled to their own interpretation of the type of crime in question which sometimes might lead to slight differences in the prosecution process. Rate of occurrence It is quite understandable that one of the major aspects of rape that should be taken into account of the rate of its occurrence. The statistics that is available at the moment provide evidence that the type of crime in question is now declining steadily. For example, it was found that closer to the end of the previous millennium the rate of rape or other sexual assault for females was around nine, while now it is between 4 and 5 (Sinozich & Langton, 2014). In other words, it would not be a mistake to suggest that the United States of America is experiencing a relief from this horrible social phenomenon in the new century. Since this trend has been witnessed from several decades, there is a strong certainty that it will continue in the future. Typology of rape When one considers this type of crime, one should note that rape can happen between people that have different relationships. For example, the most common understanding of this crime involved a perpetrator raping a stranger. Sometime the former might know the victim. However, the public often overlooks other, more rare instances of rape that happen between married partners. The statistic shows that this negative phenomenon has also been following the trend. Surprisingly, in 1995 the rate for simple female assault was around 11, while in 2011 it dropped dramatically to 3 (Catalano, 2013). This shows that the contemporary American society is coping effectively with this phenomenon. Risk factors for becoming perpetrator and victim Since there are at least two parties involved in the act of rape, it would be logical to analyze the risk factor becoming each of them. It is suggested that there are several aspect that contribute to predisposition to become a person who is likely to perform a sexual assault. They are: early sexual initiation, delinquency, alcohol and drug use, general aggressiveness and acceptance of violence empathic deficits ("Sexual Violence: Risk and Protective Factors", 2015). However, there are also some factors that make other people vulnerable to becoming a victim of rape: excessive consumption of alcohol around strangers, sending mixed signals to them, lack of physical force to resist. Criminal punishment for rape It is quite understandable that in the United States of America due to the principle of dual sovereignty the punishment for rape differs according to state. There are may be different circumstances which involve a federal inquiry, but in the majority of cases, decision about punishment falls under local jurisdiction. Nevertheless, each state considers this type of crime extremely serious and more than half of them have a provision for capital punishment for it. All this results in the understanding that the society sees rape as an action that should be taken care of by strict means so that the rest of the population would not be engaged in it. Treatment of the rape victims There is no doubt that rape is a tremendous shock for a person. That is why the latter has to be treated accordingly. However, the evidence shows that a considerable number of rape instances are not reported to the police which does not only make it difficult to trace the actual occurrence of this type of crime, but does not allow specialists to help the victims. Nevertheless, many insurance company refuse to help people who experience such even in their lives, suggesting that it may be too costly and there is no way to make sure that the treatment will bring positive results as planned. That is why to a certain extent, the victims of rape are usually left alone with their problem and have to face it independently. Research There has been a lot of research made into the causes of rape which many scholars identifying various factors that contribute to its emergence. According to one approach, the causes of rape can be put into three categories. The first kind of rape occurs when a person is not able to hold one’s anger and performs the act of sexual assault in order to humiliate the victim (Burgess & Groth, 1978, p. 16). Another type happens when a person is not able to influence conditions of one’s life properly and uses rape as a way to assert one’s power over state of affairs. Finally, there is one more kind which deals with sexual desires and regard rape is a way to experience erotic feelings that aggression and pain provoke in a person. Gang rape concept A considerable amount of research was dedicated to gang rape. It is often suggested that the media constructs a negative image of gangs by shows that the process of initiation of some of them is closely connected to the above mentioned type of crime (Thompson, Young & Burns, 2000, p. 426). This brings gangs somewhat close to college fraternities showing that a group of young people is able to rise above the law and satisfy their needs without taking into account the desire of the other people. Whenever a gang rape occurs, the society condemns it explicitly, showing that there can hardly be any excuse for it, sentencing people who are involved into it to strict punishments. Sexual gratification theory One would make no mistake that the majority of people are not able to draw a connection between rape and sexual gratification. However, there is a research which shows that some people are able to experience the latter exclusively when they see force and coercion being involved into the sexual act (Martin & Hummer, 1989, p. 471). There is no doubt that this can be seen as a predisposition to a person becoming a rapist in the future. In other words, this kind of behavior is conditioned by organization of one’s mind and personal experience. As a result, raping becomes a necessity that must be satisfied even though it goes against the law. The existence of rape culture A considerable number of feminists argue that the society itself is responsible for the emergence and spread of rape as a phenomenon. It is argued that the patriarchal values that are being promoted in it encourage men to this that participation in a rape may be seen as manifestation of their masculinity and what women secretly want it (Armstrong, Hamilton & Sweeney, 2006, p. 485). In addition to that, the current social structure is likely to hide the actual rate of occurrence of rape in order to protect men, granting them a special privilege when it comes to interaction with women. In other words, if the society is willing to cope with this phenomenon is should focus on introducing new concepts into public opinion. Psychological factors for becoming a rapist There is another approach towards understanding the factors that contribute to emergence of this kind of behavior. It is often suggested that those who commit such a crime are more likely to present aggressive behavior in their daily life (Brym, 2005, p. 280). In addition to that, these people have a hard time differentiating between different kinds of normal social interaction. In other words, they might misinterpret signals that are projected by other individuals which causes them to act in a way that would harm the latter. That is why psychological health of a perpetrator should be seen as one of the major factors that urges one to rape people. Early sexual abuse Finally, there has been a correlation found between sexual abuse that occurred in young age and further development of an individual. According to a research, if a person is sexually abused in the young age, the chances that this will have a negative effect on one’s mental health are relatively high (Horwitz, Widom, McLaughlin & White, 2001, p. 190). The evidence shows that the majority of rapists experiences sexual abuse earlier in their life. That is why one would make no mistake suggesting that the cause of rape can be found in early childhood of a person. Having examined all the evidence, one is able to come to the following conclusion: rape is a type of sexual violence that has extremely negative consequences for the society. As a response, the latter imposes strict punishments on those who perform such action. References Armstrong, E., Hamilton, L., & Sweeney, B. (2006). Sexual Assault On Campus: A Multilevel, Integrative Approach To Party Rape. Social Problems, 53(4), 483-499. Brym, R., & Lie, J. (2005). Sociology: Your compass for a new world (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Burgess, A., & Groth, N. (1978). Sexual assault of children and adolescents. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books. Catalano, S. (2013). Intimate Partner Violence: Attributes of Victimization, 1993–2011. Retrieved April 15, 2015. Hodgkinson, P. (2004). Capital punishment strategies for abolition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Horwitz, A., Widom, C., Mclaughlin, J., & White, H. (2001). The Impact of Childhood Abuse and Neglect on Adult Mental Health: A Prospective Study. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 42(2), 184-201. Martin, P., & Hummer, R. (1989). Fraternities And Rape On Campus. Gender & Society, 3(4), 457-473. Sexual Violence: Risk and Protective Factors. (2015, February 10). Retrieved April 15, 2015. Sinozich, S., & Langton, L. (2014). Rape and Sexual Assault Victimization Among College-Age Females, 1995–2013. Retrieved April 15, 2015. Thompson, C., Young, R., & Burns, R. (2000). Representing Gangs In The News: Media Constructions Of Criminal Gangs. Sociological Spectrum, 20, 409-432. Read More