PENTAMINDS GLOBAL
Project analyst/presenter- Jacky
What is rape?
It is a form of assault where an individual forces another to have sexual intercourse against that person’s will. It is a crime against humanity…theft of one’s spirit…torture…a war against the powerless…selling of women and children….
It includes intercourse in the vagina, anus or mouth. Sometimes assailants use objects rather than their own body parts against the sexual organs of their target.
The primary cause of rape is an aggressive desire to dominate the victim.
Types of rape
- Date rape- Date rape occurs between people who are known to each other either platonically (purely spiritual; free from sensual desire, esp. in a relationship between two persons of the opposite sex) or sexually. It involves use of the so-called date rape drugs e.g. GHB, ketamine, benzodiazepines, alcohol
- Marital rape- in marital rape the husband is the perpetrator.
- Gang rape - Gang rape is rape of a victim by several attackers in rapid succession.
- Prison rape - Inmates rape fellow inmates
- Wartime rape - Soldiers rape women they find in the place they attack in wartime rape.
Did you know?
- A rape occurs every 30 minutes in
- In the
- 90-91% of the victims are female.
- 9-10% male mostly in correctional facilities.
- 80-90% of the victims do not report rape cases.
- 8 out of 10 victims knew the perpetrator.
- Most perpetrators are male.
- The youngest recorded rape victim in
Factors that cause perpetrators to rape
Individual Factors
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Coercive sexual fantasies.
- Impulsive and antisocial tendencies.
- Preference for impersonal sex.
- Hostility towards women.
- History of sexual abuse as a child.
- Witness of family violence as a child.
- Association with sexually aggressive and delinquent peers.
- Family environment with physical violence and few resources.
- Strong patriarchal relationship.
- Emotionally unsupportive family environment.
- Poverty mediated through forms of male identity crisis.
- Unemployment.
- Lack of institutional support from police and judicial systems.
- General tolerance of sexual assault.
- Weak community sanctions (provisions of laws enacting penalties for disobedience or rewards for obedience) against perpetrators of sexual violence.
Societal Factors
- Societal norms that support sexual violence.
- Societal norms that support superiority and sexual entitlement.
- Weak laws and policies related to gender equity.
- High levels of crime and other forms of violence.
Motivations for perpetrators
- Sadism.
- Wanting sexual gratification.
- Aggressive desire for power or domination and anger.
Vulnerability factors of victimization
- Young age i.e. 54% of the victims are below 18 and 22% are below 12.
- Drug and alcohol use.
- Prior history of sexual violence makes it likely to happen again.
- Multiple sexual partners.
- Poverty.
- Inability of victim to give consent by virtue of mental illness, mental retardation or intoxication.
Situations in which rape can occur are when the victim and perpetrator are alone e.g. in a dark alley, when either the victim only or both the victim and the perpetrator are intoxicated with drugs and/or alcohol among other situations.
Symptoms of Rape
- Feeling numb and detached, like being in a daze or a dream or feeling that the world is strange and unreal.
- Difficulty in remembering important parts of the assault.
- Reliving the assault through repeated thoughts, memories or nightmares.
- Avoidance of things-places, thoughts, feelings-that remind the victim of the assault.
- Anxiety; difficulty in sleeping, concentrating, etc.
- Avoidance of social life or place of rape
What to do in case you suspect that somebody is about to rape you:-
- SCREAM. It scares the would-be attacker.
- Run as fast as you can.
- If he catches up with you, resist and fight him as hard as you can. Kick him in the groin and run.
- Report the case to the police as soon as possible.
What to do in case of rape:-
- Call rape crisis centre or victims rights group. A volunteer will accompany you to the hospital.
- Do not take a bath as this will wash away evidence. At the hospital the doctor will examine you to collect evidence e.g. semen, bruises, torn private parts, blood stains, etc to ascertain occurrence of rape. S/he will give you treatment to prevent pregnancy and STIs and refer you to a counselor who will help you deal with the trauma.
- The hospital will contact the police so go home, bathe, rest and try to recover with support of your loved ones.
- See the counselor you were referred to and attend all counseling sessions as scheduled.
- Follow up on whether the case is all ready being handled by the police.
- Intimate stalking partner.
- Intimate partners-current or former spouse/boyfriend.
Rape effects
- Unwanted pregnancies
- Physical deformities e.g. torn private parts
- Infections e.g. AIDS and other STIs
- Trauma and stigma etc.
Proposed remedies for rape
- Tough penalties and punishments to assailants
- Educating the public on how to avoid rape and dealing with rape victims and encouraging people to report rape cases.
- The ANTI-RAPE FEMALE CONDOM known as The Bailer. It was invented b
y Sonnette Ehlers, a South African for the purpose of preventing rape
The device is a latex sheath held firm by shafts of sharp, inward-facing microscopic barbs that would be worn by a woman in her vagina like a tampon. Should an attacker attempt vaginal rape, the penis would penetrate the latex and be bailed by the barbs, causing the attacker pain and (ideally) giving the victim time to escape. The condom would remain bailed to the attacker's body and could be removed only surgically, which would, hypothetically, alert hospital staff and police.
The Rapex would also act as a preventative measure if an attacker had any sexually transmitted diseases.
Several steps have been taken in
- Media houses and organizations donate time and advertising spaces to teach the public about rape.
- A specialized police force to deal with rape has been established.
- Proper care and competent staff are in place to help victims.
- Women are taught self-defense tactics and how to handle themselves in the event of attempted rape.
Legislation
The National Assembly of Kenya passed a motion by Nominated MP, Njoki Ndung’u allowing introduction of Sexual Offences Bill which proposes reforming the law and enforcing harsher punishments for sex offenders.
The bill seeks to impose minimum sentences for rape and defilement; outlaws women being forced to undergo cultural practices deemed harmful such as FGM and wife inheritance, and provides counseling and medical treatment for victims and medical treatment for victims and perpetrators of sexual violence and abuse. It also outlaws sexual harassment and says there is no time limit for a victim to pursue a sexual offence case.
It is said that the proposed legislation goes against African culture, would discourage or prevent marriage, or be used to take revenge or unfairly punish men.
Conclusion
Rape is evil and should be done away with completely!!!
