Reports Of Rape Research Articles

Interrogating the Causes, Effects and Societal Responses to Rape and Child-Defilement in Nigeria

Nigeria’s social landscape has been inundated by an alarming spate of rape and child defilement cases, so much more that there is hardly a week without media reports of rape in the country. Records released by the Nigeria Police Force shows that a total of seven hundred and seventeen cases of rape and child defilement were recorded in the first five months of the year 2020. More alarming is the defilement of minors and underage children by adults. The foregoing raises concerns and the need to interrogate the causes of alarming cases of rape and defilement of minors in Nigeria. The mixed methods research approach was adopted to generate both primary and secondary data. For the primary data, an online questionnaire was designed and administered to a total of two hundred and nine Nigerians across various sectors and regions of the country. Besides, six (6) key informants, each from the Ministry of Women, Legal Department, National Human Rights Commission, NGO, religious leader and media practitioners, were interviewed. On the other hand, government reports, gazettes, journal and newspaper articles were used to generate secondary data. Findings show that defilement of minors in Nigeria is perceived from a socio-cultural perspective as an avenue for money rituals. Other causes include mental disorders of perpetrators, alcoholism and substance abuse. Effects of such acts are physical and psychological. Recommendations on ways of curbing the menace include life sentences, name shame of perpetrators, and strict enforcement of existing laws prohibiting rape and defilement in the country.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN NIGERIA AND VICTIMS’ SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION

The purpose of this paper was to present a comprehensive review of sexual violence against women and the victims’ susceptibility to emotional distress and sexual dysfunction. A total of 50 cases of rape victims and rape statistics report were gathered from secondary sources of information. From the retrospective description of some victims’ traumatic experiences, the picture of their negative emotions and grief were carefully analyzed and explanation provided on their exposure to psychological distress and psychosexual dysfunction. Deducing from the review and analysis of the histories and experiences of sexual violence victims, there is a strong relationship between women with history of sexual violence and susceptible to psychological distress sexual dysfunction such as; PTSD, sexual arousal inhibition, sexual avoidance contact, anger and hatred. Others include paranoia, fear of relationship with men as well as stress and re-experience of grief from the unpleasant memories of the rape incidence. Pathologically, sexual violence can threaten the psychological well-being of the survivors in a short and long-term depending on the circumstances and probably where the victim is left without care and support from friends, family and appropriate professional intervention. Thus, women who have been exposed to rape need intensive and suitable psychological intervention to heal their traumatized emotions that induce psychological distress and sexual dysfunction.

‘I thought he was going to kill me’: Analysis of 204 case files of adults reporting non-fatal strangulation as part of a sexual assault over a 3 year period

BackgroundThere is growing awareness internationally around the prevalence and dangerousness of non-fatal strangulation (NFS). The aim of this study was to: (i) identify the prevalence of NFS in patients presenting to the Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Manchester, UK for an acute forensic medical examination (FME) after a report of rape or sexual assault, (ii) explore the characteristics of patients reporting NFS compared to those who did not and (iii) explore the prevalence of various symptoms and signs associated with NFS. MethodData from case files of all patients attending in a three year period, January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019, were analysed. There was not any age or gender related exclusion criteria. In the NFS cases the Saint Mary's SARC NFS pro-forma used as part of the contemporaneous medical notes was also reviewed. ResultsA total of 2196 adults (≥18 years old) attended Saint Mary's SARC for an acute FME during the three year study period. This comprised 1994 (90.7%) non-NFS cases and 204 (9.28%) NFS cases. The prevalence of NFS was 18.9% where the alleged perpetrator was a partner or ex-partner. For NFS cases, 96.6% (n = 197) of the patients were female and the alleged perpetrator was male in 98% (n = 200) of the NFS cases. 40% of the NFS cases had been strangled in their own homes and in 33% of cases children lived in that home. In 27% (n = 55) of the NFS cases the patient said that the alleged perpetrator had also strangled them on a previous occasion. 46.6% had an injury to the neck or above attributable to the NFS. 15.7% (n = 32) of the NFS cases reported loss of consciousness, 8.8% (n = 18) were incontinent of urine and 2% (n = 4) incontinent of faeces as a result of the NFS. Over a third of the patients (36.6%) thought that they were going to die during the NFS. ConclusionThe study shows that NFS in sexual assault is a gendered crime, with most victims female and most assailants male. NFS is prevalent and this prevalence increases where the alleged perpetrator is a partner or ex-partner. Many are assaulted in their own homes, homes frequently shared with children. Visible NFS injuries are not the norm yet fear of death is not uncommon. Over 1 in 6 (15.7%) reported loss of consciousness suggesting that they were victims of a near lethal assault. That 27% had previously been a victim of NFS by the same alleged perpetrator indicates that there are considerable numbers potentially living in fear and at risk. Awareness of the risk of NFS, and an enhanced response to it, is required by those looking after victims and all those in the criminal justice system.

Discourses in accounts of rape by sex offenders in Limpopo province, South Africa

South Africa is known for having the highest number of sexual violence cases in the world. In response to these reports, the government has declared rape as a priority crime, and various measures have been put in place to address this scourge. Despite these measures, rape statistics have continued to escalate. It is against this background that this study sought to explore accounts of sexual offences, particularly reports of rape, from a sample of sex offenders. Data were drawn from five Correctional Centres in the Limpopo province. Nineteen sex offenders were selected through a purposive sampling approach and interviewed face-to-face. Discourse analysis was used to identify and analyse the patterns of talk that sex offenders drew upon to account for their sex offences. Findings revealed that ‘blame’ was the most dominant discourse cited. The ‘rhetoric of blame’ revolved around uncontained sexual desires, sexual entitlement, absent mothers, provocative dress code by women, and unfair laws that discriminated men when they asserted their sexual power in relationships with women. Multi-sectoral intervention strategies are recommended for deconstructing blame discourses that perpetuate rape offences in South Africa.

The "Casting Couch" Scenario: Impact of Perceived Employment Benefit, Reporting Delay, Complainant Gender, and Participant Gender on Juror Decision-Making in Rape Cases.

Recent legal and media reports of contemporary and historical rape and sexual assault cases have focused on the entertainment industry, particularly around the notion of the “casting couch.” This scenario, in which a powerful figure obtains sometimes nonconsensual sexual acts from subordinate actors in exchange for employment, was used to explore the influence of rape myths and Sexual Economics Theory on mock-juror decision-making. Participant-jurors (n = 907) viewed video and written testimony of a complainant, accusing a male producer of rape. Complainant gender (male, female), delay before reporting the incident to the police (immediately, 6 months, 10 years), and complainant casting in the production were randomly varied (acting role secured, not secured). The strongest effects were that females (79.7%) were significantly more likely than males (62.7%) to deliver a guilty verdict and to recommend longer prison sentences for the offence. When the complainant did not secure the acting role, and they delayed reporting the incident for six months, there was an interaction between complainant gender and verdict. No interacting complainant gender effects on trial outcomes were found in the other delay conditions, or when the actor secured employment. Defendant guilt attributions to the male and female complainant were also differently influenced by rape myth belief levels and homophobic attitudes, but not beliefs in a just world. The casting couch euphemism, reported worldwide, suggests industry acceptance, and may sanitize the act of demanding sex and even committing rape. However, these results have important implications for any occupational setting in which men in positions of power may sexually exploit junior staff.

Institutional commitment to combating sexual violence: The practices and policies of U.S. universities.

By presenting institution-level variables of 118 universities across 50 states and the District of Columbia, we provide a descriptive overview of the types of programs and sexual assault-related data. Specifically, we examine correlations between policies and practices related to sexual assault prevention and reports of rape. As expected, we found that universities with policies pertaining to affirmative consent, alcohol, and inclusive definitions of assault, combined with practices like mandatory training and transparency with campus climate survey findings, also have higher reports of sexual assault.

#MeToo: Associations of educational institution religious affiliation with sexual health services and rates of sexual assault

Objective To explore the association of educational institution religious affiliation with provision of sexual health services and rates of sexual violence. Participants: Analysis of 500 US college/university websites; secondary data obtained from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Methods: Content analysis documented institutional religious affiliation and availability of sexual health services. Chi-square tests examined association of services with religious affiliation, while negative binomial models compared rape/fondling rates obtained from NCES between Christian/non-Christian schools. Results: Results demonstrated an overall deficit in services, with Christian campuses significantly less likely to offer 13 service. Christian schools had increased reports of rape (years 2015/2016) and fondling (year 2015). Conclusions: Results highlight insufficiency of sexual health services and the need for future research on specific forms of services available and other factors impacting sexual violence. Findings illuminate the importance of a campus’ social environment on sexual assault occurrences/reporting and structuring services to meet student needs.

Rape, inequality and the criminal justice response in England: The importance of age and gender

This article draws upon quantitative and content analysis of 585 reports of rape recorded within two police force areas in England in 2010 and in 2014 tracking individual incidents to eventual outcome to examine the impact, if any, of intersecting inequalities on trajectories of rape cases reported to police. The data were collected as part of the wider Economic and Social Research Council funded Justice, Inequality and Gender-Based Violence research project which examined victim-survivor experiences and perspectives on justice. Building on existing distinctions between types of rape case based on the relationship between victim-survivor and accused, the results suggest age and gender are significant factors in how sexual violence, and the criminal justice system, is experienced. While younger women and girls were disproportionately affected by certain types of sexual violence case and more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system compared to men and older women, they were not necessarily more likely to achieve a conviction. The findings also confirm that some of the most vulnerable victims-survivors of sexual violence, especially those with poor mental health, are still not achieving criminal justice. Victims-survivors from Black and minority ethnic group or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer groups are underrepresented within the criminal justice system, implying these groups are not seeking a criminal justice response in the same way as ‘white’ heterosexual victims-survivors.

The Grammar of Gender Ideology: The Press Coverage of Sexual Violence in Turkey and the Passive Voice

This research critically examines the Turkish press coverage of sexual violence during the growing hegemony of neoliberal governmentality in Turkey. Through a critical discourse analysis of the newspaper Hürriyet’s reports on rape cases during the last 20 years, I aim to decipher the structures of power and gender regimes reflected in these reports. To this end, I critically examine the levels of agency and responsibility that reporters attribute to perpetrators and survivors of rape through the use of passive and active voice. The analysis reveals that the media reports of rape characterized male rapists as aggressive criminal agents who were helpless against the police and the legal system. Female survivors, on the other hand, were cast as autonomous agents who became helpless victims of rape (sometimes due to their naiveté) and reclaimed their agency with the help of the police and the legal system. The results point to a transformation of the traditional conceptions of rape and the mainstream gender ideologies as the outcome of two oppositional forces: neoliberal familism and feminist ideology.

A soldier and a townsman during the Thirty Years’ War. Coexistence – Confrontation – Cooperation

The article deals with the basic issues of the relationships between soldiers and the city population during the Thirty Years' War, primarily on the basis of German special literature, which is still authoritative in this respect and at the same time confirms and complements the author's own research. Although the notion of the insurmountable ambivalence of both these social components, generally supported by countless reports of murders, robberies, rapes, physical and psychological attacks, the reality was much more colorful, and city experience with soldiers may not always have been negative. Whether it was mutual cooperation, especially on a commercial basis, or establishing friendly and family relations.

Police Discretion in Rape Cases

Although policing requires officers to follow policy guidelines when making decisions, these nevertheless leave room for discretion. We used a within-subjects experimental design and idiographic statistical analyses to examine the factors predicting 25 specialist police officers’ decisions to progress rape cases. We found little to no evidence of the influence of some factors (i.e., victim’s criminal history, victim-suspect relationship, time taken to report crime, victim’s prior reports of rape, victim’s alcohol/drug use during offense, and suspect’s previous convictions) on officers’ rape case progression decisions. However, 15 officers were less likely to progress cases involving victims who provided inconsistent accounts. Thus, some types of rape victims may not get access to the justice that they desire and deserve. Although officers also reported that consistency of the victim’s account was important to their decision-making, there was generally a lack of concordance between officers’ self-reported and applied decision-making policies. Thus, officers’ accounts of how they progressed a rape case may be unreliable and invalid.

Rape in the news: on rape genres in Swedish news coverage

ABSTRACT This article deals with narratives of rape in Swedish newspapers between 1990 and 2015. Though perpetuating myths and stereotypes about rape, rapists and rape victims, the main argument is that the narratives of rape in the news are diverse. This diversity is analysed in terms of different genres—narratives of “the lonely pervert”; “the sex slavery rape”; “the celebrity rape”; and “the suburb rape.” Genre will be used as a cultural analytical means to elaborate on the meanings of news reports of rape and the societal functions and effects of these meanings. It is exemplified how some genres form debates that push changes in national legislation or encourage proactive engagement in city planning on the local level, whereas others are characterised by questioning or justification. In the case of the celebrity rape, the sex slavery rape and the lonely pervert rape these genres produce narratives that hide patriarchal structures by “monstering” the perpetrator or by questioning the very existence of the specific rape. In the case of the suburb rapes the patriarchal structure is hidden behind a discussion of other structural problems.

Kajian Tentang Penggunaan Alat Bukti Petunjuk Oleh Jaksa Penuntut Umum Dalam Perkara Pencabulan Anak

An indication is used to increase the judge's confidence that the accused is guilty or not. Instructions obtained from witness statements, letters and from the defendant's statement were put together, then put together and will make a clue that can strengthen the judge's conviction that the defendant is guilty or not. Not only that, evidence such as sperm found around the victim's vagina, damage to the blood membrane (hymen) and the victim's panties are also tools to strengthen evidence to prove that the victim has raped herself. It is unlikely that reports of rape will occur after a few days after the incident, because it is feared that the necessary evidence will be weak or no longer visible, making it difficult for the judge to believe that rape has occurred. This writing uses normative juridical legal research methods (normative research) with descriptive analytical research specifications that use secondary data. The procedure of data collection is in the form of documentation of notes or quotations, search of legal literature, books and others related to the identification of problems both offline and online, which are then analyzed through the content analysis method (content analysis method) with a focus on issues about how the legal basis the use of evidence from the Public Prosecutor as a means of proving the case of molestation of children, how is the process of using evidence from the Public Prosecutor as a means of proof of sexual abuse cases against children.

Women's and men's reports of past-year prevalence of intimate partner violence and rape and women's risk factors for intimate partner violence: A multicountry cross-sectional study in Asia and the Pacific.

BackgroundUnderstanding the past-year prevalence of male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) and risk factors is essential for building evidence-based prevention and monitoring progress to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.2, but so far, population-based research on this remains very limited. The objective of this study is to compare the population prevalence rates of past-year male-perpetrated IPV and nonpartner rape from women’s and men’s reports across 4 countries in Asia and the Pacific. A further objective is to describe the risk factors associated with women’s experience of past-year physical or sexual IPV from women’s reports and factors driving women’s past-year experience of partner violence.Methods and findingsThis paper presents findings from the United Nations Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific. In the course of this study, in population-based cross-sectional surveys, 5,206 men and 3,106 women aged 18–49 years were interviewed from 4 countries: Cambodia, China, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and Sri Lanka. To measure risk factors, we use logistic regression and structural equation modelling to show pathways and mediators. The analysis was not based on a written plan, and following a reviewer’s comments, some material was moved to supplementary files and the regression was performed without variable elimination. Men reported more lifetime perpetration of IPV (physical or sexual IPV range 32.5%–80%) than women did experience (physical or sexual IPV range 27.5%–67.4%), but women’s reports of past-year experience (physical or sexual IPV range 8.2%–32.1%) were not very clearly different from men’s (physical or sexual IPV range 10.1%–34.0%). Women reported much more emotional/economic abuse (past-year ranges 1.4%–5.7% for men and 4.1%–27.7% for women). Reports of nonpartner rape were similar for men (range 0.8%–1.9% in the past year) and women (range 0.4%–2.3% in past year), except in Bougainville, where they were higher for men (11.7% versus 5.7%). The risk factor modelling shows 4 groups of variables to be important in experience of past-year sexual and/or physical IPV: (1) poverty, (2) all childhood trauma, (3) quarrelling and women’s limited control in relationships, and (4) partner factors (substance abuse, unemployment, and infidelity). The population attributable fraction (PAF) was largest for quarrelling often, but the second greatest PAF was for the group related to exposure to violence in childhood. The relationship control variable group had the third highest PAF, followed by other partner factors. Currently married women were also more at risk. In the structural model, a resilience pathway showed less poverty, higher education, and more gender-equitable ideas were connected and conveyed protection from IPV. These are all amenable risk factors. This research was cross-sectional, so we cannot be sure of the temporal sequence of exposure, but the outcome being a past-year measure to some extent mitigates this problem.ConclusionsPast-year IPV indicators based on women’s reported experience that were developed to track SDG 5 are probably reasonably reliable but will not always give the same prevalence as may be reported by men. Report validity requires further research. Interviews with men to track past-year nonpartner rape perpetration are feasible and important. The findings suggest a range of factors are associated with past-year physical and/or sexual IPV exposure; of particular interest is the resilience pathway suggested by the structural model, which is highly amenable to intervention and explains why combining economic empowerment of women and gender empowerment/relationship skills training has been successful. This study provides additional rationale for scaling up violence prevention interventions that combine economic and gender empowerment/relationship skills building of women, as well as the value of investing in girls’ education with a view to long-term violence reduction.

The Effects of Feminist Mobilization and Women’s Status on Universities’ Reporting of Rape

ABSTRACTWhen establishing the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, President Obama reminded universities of their obligation to report accurate rape statistics to the Department of Education. Research has not determined, on a national scale, what factors explain variation in (under)reporting. Using data from 413 top universities’ websites and institutional and archival data, we examine how state- and university-level factors shape universities’ rape reporting. Universities with a greater feminist presence and antiviolence activism, and those located in states where women have higher socioeconomic status and more American Association of University Women partnerships, report more rapes. We examine underreporting as an institutional rather than an individual-level phenomenon, connect campus reporting to the larger reporting literature, and provide practical policy and program implications.

Incredible Women: Sexual Violence and the Credibility Discount

Credibility is central to the legal treatment of sexual violence, as epitomized by the iconic “he said/she said” contest. Over time, the resolution of competing factual accounts has evidenced a deeply skeptical orientation toward rape accusers. This incredulous stance remains firmly lodged, having migrated from formal legal rules to informal practices, with much the same result — an enduring system of disbelief. Introducing the concept of “credibility discounting” helps to explain the dominant feature of our legal response to rape. Although false reports of rape are uncommon, law enforcement officers tend to default to doubt when women allege sexual assault, resulting in curtailed investigations along with infrequent arrests and prosecutions. Credibility discounts, which are meted out at every stage of the criminal process, involve downgrades both to trustworthiness (corresponding to testimonial injustice) and to plausibility (corresponding to hermeneutical injustice). By conceptualizing prejudiced disbelief as a distinct failure of justice, one deserving of separate consideration, we may begin to grasp the full implications of credibility discounting, beyond faulty criminal justice outcomes. Attending to this failure of epistemic justice on its own terms advances a conversation about how best to reform institutions so that credibility judgments do not perpetuate inequality. To this end, credibility discounting should count as actionable discrimination. Under certain conditions, moreover, this recognition raises constitutional concerns. When rape victims confront a law enforcement regime predisposed to dismiss their complaints, they are effectively denied the protective resources of the state.

Rape survivor care crisis - mines the worst?

The dire need for better healthcare worker training in rape forensics and safe survivor care has never been better illustrated than by the horrifying rape statistics Medicins Sans Frontieres presented last month from the platinum-mining boom town of Rustenberg.

“We Pray for the Death of ‘God”’: Southern African Women in Prayer

IntroductionIn South Africa (North Africans) are being ambushed, burnt, or beaten to death xenophobic attacks that have been sporadic but widespread. The media carry gruesome stories of displaced women and children who originally come from war-tom regions of Africa or economically unstable countries Africa north of Republic of South Africa. Having come to South Africa seeking a different life, their husbands and fathers are killed, and they are displaced again. The reasons given by South African mobs have ranged from the are taking 'their women' (notice objectification of South African women) to foreigners take jobs that rightfully belong to South Africans. Activists and government officials both inside and outside South Africa are working to effect change so that women and children's lives are not at stake. Rape statistics are high South Africa with a woman being raped every two minutes. Police statistics reveal that twenty-seven cases of rape are reported per day province of Western Cape alone.1 Statistically more women than men are unemployed South Africa.2With this context mind, I will consider prayers of women Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA). I realize that task of describing women's prayer ACSA is not only difficult but fact impossible to do an article of this length, for ours is a rich with multiple languages, multiple ways and forms of expressing diverse spiritualities, all of which form totality of ACSA prayer. Women pray song and dance, words and deeds, with traditional African drums and Western guitars, deep silence and tears, meditation and wonder, bright colors and candlelight, around adorned altars and under trees rural places where there are not any church buildings-yet they are all prayer. I will focus on concerns of women's prayers ACSA. Women ACSA pray away rape and pray away xenophobia South Africa brought about by violence of those who believe this land belongs exclusively to them. Women also pray away deeply gendered poverty affecting mostly women and children, and pray away violence against women.Many Christians have believed that violence and poverty are ordained by God. So women essence pray for death of this who ordains this violence and pray to a God who wills peace and affirmation of humanity of women and weak of our communities. Women pray to a life-giving God for all humanity. Women pray to a God who will answer their prayers and not oppose everything that women experience and believe to be divine and life-giving.Contrasting Images of GodNeither progressive South African constitution nor ideals of Ubuntu have modified impact of image of God. Despite equality affirmed constitution, African culture and religion continue to influence daily experience of black women. Although many argue that Ubuntu makes up fabric of African society, and that violence against women and xenophobia are against spirit of Ubuntu, it is clear from statistics offered introduction that Ubuntu has not been effective for women's freedom and equality.3 Ubuntu itself is based on patriarchy and male-dominated cultures Southern Africa, therefore Ubuntu can never liberate women from domination. Mercy Oduyoye correctly argues that in Africa as elsewhere a literal reading of creation narratives has stifled theological content and buried chance for real reflection.4 The literal reading of Genesis has also given to South Africa a who is only like those and for those who were first Africans to interpret Bible-men. Indeed this God-who Anglican Prayer Book of ACSA is male (Father, Almighty, Lord)-has given human men an undue status, where they see themselves as more like God than women are. Women, therefore, should be submissive to men. …

College Party Culture and Sexual Assault

This paper considers the degree to which events that intensify partying increase sexual assault. Estimates are based on panel data from campus and local law enforcement agencies and an identification strategy that exploits plausibly random variation in the timing of Division 1 football games. The estimates indicate that these events increase daily reports of rape with 17–24-year-old victims by 28 percent. The effects are driven largely by 17–24-year-old offenders and by offenders unknown to the victim, but we also find significant effects on incidents involving offenders of other ages and on incidents involving offenders known to the victim. (JEL I23, J16, K42, Z13)

An act ‘soe fowle and grievous’:1 contextualizing rape in the 1641 rebellion2

AbstractThis study aims to critically re-evaluate existing explanations for the scale and significance of rape during the 1641 Rebellion in Ireland, using a contextual analysis of the legal testimonies of English Protestant settlers, known collectively as the ‘1641 Depositions’, analysing as far as possible the veracity of reports of rape, the circumstances in which rape occurred, and the identities of - and relationships between - victims and perpetrators. This study considers how women reported rape, comparing the Depositions to similar processes of legal testimony in early modern England. Rape perpetrated by combatants in contemporaneous conflicts is also considered, and the existence of - and adherence to - ad hoc codes of military conduct in Irish rebel ranks is investigated. Most reports of rape during the Rebellion appear highly credible, and almost all perpetrators were known to their victims as members of the same communities. There is a multiplicity of possible motivations for these crimes, with no clear pattern other than opportunism within situations where standards of ethical and military conduct were collectively ignored by rebel soldiers.