Adolescent Rape Victims Research Articles

Gendered socialization and sexual violence - A socio-anthropological study in Togo.

This article bases its argument on the social representations that justify sexual violence against adolescent girls and women and make it commonplace. It looks at the constructions of masculinity and femininity and their potential effects on the occurrence of sexual violence among adolescent girls. This is a socio-anthropological study carried out in the plateau regions of Togo. The empirical data came from individual semi-directive interviews (55), life stories (4) of adolescent rape victims and group interviews (40) with several stakeholders (adolescents, parents of adolescents, educators, community leaders and religious leaders). The results show that despite the efforts of the State and non-governmental organisations, local sexuality logics often have an impact on the persistence of sexual violence. (.

Prevalence and pattern of genital injuries among adolescent rape victims attending Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, South East Nigeria

The study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of genital injuries among the female adolescents alleged to have been raped that presented at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) from January 1 2013 to August 31 2014. All of the adolescents alleged to have been raped that presented within the study period were studied, and the relevant data were extracted from their records. The data were analysed using the Epi info statistical software, Version 7. There were 78 adolescents alleged to have been raped within the study period. They were all female, with a mean age of 14.12 ± 5.6 years. The majority of them were virgins (n = 47, 60.3%). Five of them (6.4%) had multiple perpetrators. The prevalence of genital injuries was 44.9%, while the genital injury frequency rate was 1.2. Laceration was the commonest injury type, while the hymen was the most affected site (n = 15; 35.7%). Being a virgin at the time of the rape was significantly associated with the presence of genital injury (p < .001). This suggests that the absence of genital injury is not sufficient evidence to rule out the possibility of rape.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Rape is a global problem with a severe negative impact on the victim. Apart from the associated psychological and emotional trauma, a genital injury could result. However, it appears that so much emphasis are usually placed on the presence of a genital injury in establishing an incident of rape in the developing world. Genital injuries seem to be the main substantive evidence of rape in the developing world including Nigeria. Convicting the perpetrator of rape in law court is usually difficult in the absence of genital injuries after medical examination.What the results of this study add? The result of this study shows that a genital injury is not be found in all cases of an alleged rape, especially among the adolescents. In fact, more than half of the rape survivors had no genital injury.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The absence of a genital injury does not exclude the possibility of a rape, neither does its presence confirm a rape, as genital injuries can occur even in consensual sex. Adopting a modern method of establishing a rape case is very important for the provision of concrete evidence in court that will enable the proper and sound dispensation of justice.

Adolescent rape: Characteristics and short-term impact

Background Data in Indonesia show that adolescents still havethe highest rate for rape and other sexual assaults among agegroup. There are gender differences in adolescent rape and sexualassault, with female victims exceeding males with a ratio of 3:1.Sexual assault and rape can affect numerous children and oftenlead to short-term and long-term consequences.Objectives To determine the characteristics and short-term im-pacts of adolescent rape.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 31 adoles-cents who had been raped 1-9 months previously. Subjects andparents were assessed using Child Behavior Checklist, Draw aPerson, House Tree Person, and Raven’s Progressive Matrices todetermine psychological problems. History and physical examina-tion findings at the time of rape were reviewed.Results Thirty out of 31 female adolescents were 13-18 years old.Almost half of them came from low income families and large fam-ilies, two-thirds of all subjects were living with their parents. Nine-teen of 31 perpetrators were friends or acquaintances, only 4 wererelatives. Tears of hymen were found in 21 subjects and only 8 ofthem had non-genital injuries. Nine of 31 subjects had a high aver-age range in non-verbal processing. Most subjects had a greattendency to feel insecure, anxiety, depression, and had interper-sonal relationship problems. Regression and aggressiveness werefound in almost half of the subjects. All subjects felt that theirmothers were protective and half of them had dominant fathers.Conclusion Almost half of the adolescent victims come from low-economic status and large families, most of the assailants werefriends or acquaintances. Adolescent rape victims have ongoingbehaviour problems. The most common problems are anxiety,depression, and relationship problems

Salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in adolescent rape victims with post traumatic stress disorder

In chronic sexual abuse victims with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis can be dysregulated. In single rape victims, PTSD symptoms are hypothesized to function as a chronic stressor leading to similar HPA-axis dysregulation. The objective of the current study was to assess HPA-axis functioning in female adolescents with rape-related PTSD, but no prior sexual trauma, in comparison to non-victimized controls. Salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were measured in 52 female adolescent rape victims with PTSD and 37 healthy adolescents at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after awakening, both under basal conditions and after 0.5 mg dexamethasone administration. Compared to age-matched controls, adolescent rape victims with PTSD showed significantly reduced cortisol and DHEAS levels. No group differences for the effect of dexamethasone suppression were found. Both the event of rape and PTSD diagnosis, and not factors such as sleep duration, smoking, education or oral contraceptives, accounted for the neuroendocrine differences between rape victims and controls. The results show evidence for a dysregulated HPA-axis in female adolescent victims of single sexual trauma with PTSD. The finding of hypocortisolism is consistent with endocrine dysfunctioning in chronic sexual abuse victims and may have clinical implications with regard to treatment possibilities.

Effects of victim gender, victim sexual orientation, victim response and respondent gender on judgements of blame in a hypothetical adolescent rape

Objectives. Few studies have examined the judgements made towards adolescent rape victims, and none have investigated attributions towards gay male or lesbian adolescents. The current study examined the effects victim gender, victim sexual orientation, victim response, and respondent gender, on attributions of blame in the depicted rape of a 15‐year old adolescent.Methods. A total of 164 respondents read details of this assault before completing 15 attribution judgments.Results. Respondents were expected to attribute more blame to a victim who was male, gay, and who failed to resist the perpetrator. Male respondents were also expected to be more blaming of the victim than females. Overall these hypotheses were supported.Conclusion. Results are discussed in relation to the role gender stereotypes and homophobia play within attributions blame in sexual assault cases. Specifically, it seems male adolescent rape victims are subjected to the same negative stereotypes as male adult victims. Implications and ideas for future research are considered.

Signs of genital trauma in adolescent rape victims examined acutely

Background: Adolescent females are the most frequent victims of sexual assault, but studies to document the presence of genital findings in patients examined within 72 hours, using magnification and dye, have not been published. This study was designed to document the frequency and types of genital injuries in adolescent women following acute sexual assault, using chart and photograph review.Methods: A retrospective chart review was done of examination records of all female patients age 14 to 19 years of age who were evaluated at a Sexual Assault Response Team program over a 5 year period. Data was abstracted from charts by the nurse examiners, and photographs were evaluated by the physician reviewer. Analysis was done to determine the frequency, location, and severity of genital and anal injuries, and any historical factors correlating with injury, using Pearson correlation and two-tailed t tests.Results: Charts of 214 female subjects (mean age 16.3 years) were reviewed. The most common findings recorded by the nurse examiner were posterior fourchette tear (36%), erythema of the labia minora, hymen, cervix or posterior fourchette (18% to 32%), and swelling of the hymen (19%). Uptake of Toluidine dye was noted in 66% of patients in whom it was applied. Overall, 21% of patients were found to have no findings, and 40% had tears of the posterior fourchette or fossa. Time to examination was highly correlated with the degree of injury noted (p = .000). The incidence of hymenal tears in self-described virgins was higher than in non-virgins (19% vs. 3%, p = .008), however the total number or severity of other injuries was not significantly higher in virgins. Reported anal penetration was associated with a high frequency of anal bruising, abrasions or tears (14/23, 61%), while only 2/150 victims who denied anal penetration had tears (1%, p = .000). Victims who reported multiple physical symptoms such as pain, nausea, or vomiting were significantly more likely to be older (p = .034) and to have an increased number of non-genital injuries such as bruising, abrasions, and bite marks (p = .001). A higher number of non-genital injuries was also correlated with a higher number of total genital injuries (p = .003).Conclusions: Adolescent victims of sexual assault who were examined within 72 hours, using a magnification and dye were found to have tears of the posterior fourchette or fossa in 40% of cases. Hymenal tears were rare, even in self-described virginal girls. Timely examination of adolescent victims is important to document injuries, however, many victims will still have non-specific examination findings.

Acute Sexual Assault Among Adolescents

Background Acute sexual assault among adolescents has been linked to risk taking behaviors and may often be preventable through simple safety measures. Additionally, post-assault, trauma-specific follow up is an important step in the prevention of chronic behavioral and physical sequelae related to the assault. The purpose of this study is to provide descriptive data on acute sexual assaults among adolescents that might provide direction for prevention efforts and interventions to assist in the recovery process. Methods Adolescents who experience an acute sexual assault and have been voluntarily sexually active in the past are evaluated by the adult sexual assault team and are referred to a multidisciplinary specialty clinic for follow up related to their assault. Records from all acute sexual assault evidentiary examinations and sexual assault follow up evaluations from May 1994 through September 1996 were abstracted into a computer database from which the following descriptive analysis was generated. Results 134 adolescents. ages 12 to 19 presented for an acute sexual assault examination. The average age of the victim was 15.6 ± 1.8 years while the average age of the assailant was 22.3 ± 6.9 years with a mode age of 19 (range 13–47). The mean age difference between victim and assailant was 6.6 ± 6.8 years. Many assaults ocurred at either the victim's home (17.7%) or the assailant's home (25.4%), and 14.6% occurred in a car or other vehicle. There was one assailant in 79.9% of assaults and 2 or more assailants in 20.1%. Only 17.2% of assailants were strangers to the victim, while 37.3% were acquaintances. 41.0% friends or partners, and 4.5% were relatives. Most victims were vaginally assaulted (88.0%); 7.5% were anally assaulted and 12.6% experienced forced fellatio. Victims admitted to voluntary use of alcohol or drugs in 34.6% of assaults, and 12.2% stated that the “assault” was actually consensual sexual activity. One-third of all assaults occurred between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. and another peak occurrance was noted between 3 p.m and 6 p.m. (11.2%). Of all adolescent victims who underwent an acute examination, only 34.8% were compliant with their scheduled follow up visit. There were no demographic or asault characteristics predicting compliance with follow up except the presence of traumatic injury at the time of the acute examination (p Conclusions Adolescents are sexually assaulted by significantly older males and often in unprotected or unsupervised settings. Peak occurrences are during late night and after school hours and often in association with alcohol and drug use. The importance of follow up should be stressed to all adolescent rape victims and measures to increase rates of follow up are needed.

Sample Sexual Assault Data Sheet

We are concerned that the protocol for evaluation of adolescent rape victims recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Adolescence, contains several instances of misplaced emphasis, in light of current information about sexual assault in adolescents. The sheet puts strong emphasis on the examiner's discovery of injuries, although recent reports indicate that only about one third of adolescent and adult rape victims sustain any physical injury at all and that 7% to 26% sustain genital injuries.

Adolescent rape: the role of nursing.

Rape is a crime—viewed as a physical, social, and psychological attack on the victim. The majority of its victims are between the ages of 15 and 22 years. Although the effects of rape on women in general have been studied, little has been written about the effects of rape on adolescents. Adolescent rape victims represent a group of victims with unique needs. An understanding of the biopsychosocial effects of rape on adolescents as well as an awareness of one's reaction to the victim can best assist a nurse in working with adolescent rape victims in a variety of settings.

Self-reported stresses of adolescent rape victims

This paper identifies the self-reported concerns of 122 sexually abused teenagers and compares them with their parents' reactions and the assessments made by pediatric housestaff and trained rape counselors. The predominant rape reaction reported by the teenagers was a fear for their life or safety. Second was embarrassment and self-blame. Physicians and counselors, similar to parents, emphasized anger toward the perpetrator and anxieties about future sexual relations. Physicians and counselors often missed subtle, fantasized fears of bodily damage, which were also common concerns of these teenagers. They also judged parents more often supportive of the victims than did the victims themselves. The data suggest that professionals tend to identify with parental reactions, which do not always coincide with teenager's concerns.