In lieu of recent events such as the Stanford Rape Case, it is important to be knowledgeable about rape. Why is the subject of rape such a taboo? It shouldn't be because about every two minutes, a sexual assault takes place...and that's just in the United States. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where there is more of a necessity to educate young people about rape prevention because no one is teaching them not to rape instead. Sure, we are taught about "safe sex" and consent in our high school health class, but no one wants to be direct and tell young people the things they should know. Well, here is what you should know.
What is Rape?
Rape, by definition, is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse or other types of penetration performed on a person without their consent. Rape is never the victim's fault.
Kinds of Rape
It is important to know there is more than one kind of rape. Here are some basic forms. Definitions can vary from state to state. Forms of rape include but are not limited to:
Anger or Aggravated rape is driven mostly by feelings of anger or the need for control rather than sexual arousal. This can include threatening the victim's life, physical abuse, attacking an unconscious person, etc. Many of the other forms can fall under this category.
Acquaintance rape or date rape happens between two people who know each other or are even involved in a romantic relationship. This type is often overlooked as rape because the parties are involved with one another. However, it is always rape if a person doesn't give consent. Partner rape or marital rape can also fall under this category. Marital rape can happen when one party believes consent is mutual because of the status of the relationship, but the other party has not given consent. A husband or wife cannot be forced to have sex.
Stranger rape is when the victim does not know their attacker.
Diminished capacity rape refers to any sexual assault in which the victim is in no mindset to consent to sex. This could be a victim who is intoxicated, unconscious, is mentally handicapped, etc. Drug-facilitated rape is when the attacker uses drugs or alcohol to affect the victim's ability to consent, resist an attack, and remember the assault.
Incest is a sexual act between two or more parties who are closely related. It is often considered rape because it is usually forced upon children e.g. parents and sons or daughters, uncles and nieces or nephews, aunts and nieces or nephews, etc.
Gang rape is when more than one person attacks the same victim together.
Statutory rape refers to the sexual act between a person of the age of consent and a person under the age of consent. Even if the person is under the age of consent and agrees to sex, by law, the act is illegal.
Prevention
Although nothing can totally guarantee your safety, there are several things you can do reduce your risk. These tips are directed towards late-teens to early twenty-somethings because they make up the largest percentile of sexual assault victims.
•Never go anywhere alone. Even if you are just walking across campus, take a friend, especially at night.
•Know your alcohol limits.
•Keep your drink safe.
•Trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, get out of the situation before it gets worse.
•Always have an escape plan.
•Don't be afraid to defend yourself physically if things reach that point.
Be a good person and look out for your friends and other people as well. If someone is drinking too much or is potentially in danger, you can create a distraction such as interrupting the conversation and staying with your friend, or physically removing them from the situation.
Facts
Separating the truth from the myths is an another important part of being educated about sexual assault. A few basic facts include:
•Men can be victims of sexual assault and women can be attackers.
•Rape is not an act of passion. It is about power and control.
•What a person wears does not determine whether or not they will be raped.
•If a person was sexually abused as a child, that does not make them more likely to become a perpetrator as an adult.
•It's more likely a victim will be attacked by someone they know than a stranger.
•One in six women in America will be a victim of completed or attempted rape in their lifetime.
•Victims are likely to suffer from psychological trauma, mental illness (such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc.), or drug/alcohol abuse.
•If there's no consent, it's rape. (When someone says they do not want to have sex, they are not giving consent.When someone is unconscious, they cannot give consent.)
If this has not made you think of your daughters, sisters, granddaughters, nieces, aunts, close friends, cousins, mothers, sons, brothers, nephews, fathers, uncles, whomever, reconsider the fact that every two minutes a sexual assault is attempted somewhere in the United States. If you are a victim of sexual assault, or know a victim, do not be afraid to reach out for help. The people who perform these awful acts have no excuse to do so and should be punished for their wrongdoings just like any other criminal. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to end the act of rape until rapists understand what they are doing is a complete violation, but we can educate ourselves and take steps toward prevention. Take action before someone you love gets taken advantage of.
