Rape: the journey from victim to survivor: a critical literature survey
- Authors: O'Sullivan, Lauren
- Date: 2008-11-12T07:05:18Z
- Subjects: Rape victims , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Rape trauma syndrome
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14658 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1621
- Description: M.A. , The prevalence of rape in the world and particularly in South Africa, calls for the understanding of the factors involved in rape. In particular, it is necessary to understand rape in terms of the victim, not just in terms of the prevalence, causes and social consequences of rape. The victim’s experience of rape is complicated and takes place over a journey that progresses from the assault, through her responses and psychological and social reactions to her recovery from the trauma. It is imperative that a clear understanding of previous research is gained in order to understand the existing epistemological picture of the rape victim’s experience. This dissertation has intended to achieve this understanding by reviewing the literature that has explored rape victim’s responses after the rape, the psychological and social impact the rape has had and the recovery process after the rape. In each of these instances the factors that are identified by research as influencing the rape victim’s experience are surveyed. The victim’s responses to rape are traumatic. It is therefore important to understand the nature of trauma and in particular Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS) in particular describes the traumatic responses of a rape victim. There are factors that influence the extent that the victim experiences responses to a rape. These factors include the extent to which a victim is believed about the rape, the extent to which it is thought that the victim precipitated the assault. Her own attributions about the rape will also influence her responses, as well as the nature of the assault, the level of violence, prior victimisation, past psychological treatment or mental illness, poor social support and other life stresses experienced at the same time as the rape. The victim does not only respond to the traumatic experience after a rape, but may also experience the psychological impact a rape may have. Reactions such as fear, anxiety, anger, aggression, guilt, shame, doubt, depression and psychopathology may be experienced as psychological reactions to a rape. The victim may also experience the impact a rape can have on her social functioning. She may withdraw socially and experience problems in her sexual functioning. The research reviewed indicated that there are factors that influence the extent that these reactions may impact on the victim’s life, if at all. These factors include: participation in the justice system, social support received after the rape, 8 cognitive appraisals made by the victim and possible psychological problems prior to the assault. The final part of a victim’s journey is the recovery. Recovery can be described the psychological work that is required by the victim. As with the responses and reactions that a rape victim experiences, the recovery process is also a journey that is dependent on many influencing factors. The factors that are identified as influencing the recovery process of the victim, both by enhancing it and by hindering it, include: demographic variables of the victim, previous victimisation, functioning before the rape (including chronic life stress and family grief, the nature of the assault, the relationship of the victim to the assailant, social support received after the rape, and the meaning the victim gives to the ordeal. This study of the existing literature concerning the journey of the rape victim through the responses she has after the rape, to the impact of the rape on her psychological and social functioning, to her recovery has highlighted the importance of influencing factors on this journey. It has also been noted by this study that there is a lack of evidence that can shed light on the factors that may influence the South African rape victim’s experience.
- Full Text:
- Authors: O'Sullivan, Lauren
- Date: 2008-11-12T07:05:18Z
- Subjects: Rape victims , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Rape trauma syndrome
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14658 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1621
- Description: M.A. , The prevalence of rape in the world and particularly in South Africa, calls for the understanding of the factors involved in rape. In particular, it is necessary to understand rape in terms of the victim, not just in terms of the prevalence, causes and social consequences of rape. The victim’s experience of rape is complicated and takes place over a journey that progresses from the assault, through her responses and psychological and social reactions to her recovery from the trauma. It is imperative that a clear understanding of previous research is gained in order to understand the existing epistemological picture of the rape victim’s experience. This dissertation has intended to achieve this understanding by reviewing the literature that has explored rape victim’s responses after the rape, the psychological and social impact the rape has had and the recovery process after the rape. In each of these instances the factors that are identified by research as influencing the rape victim’s experience are surveyed. The victim’s responses to rape are traumatic. It is therefore important to understand the nature of trauma and in particular Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS) in particular describes the traumatic responses of a rape victim. There are factors that influence the extent that the victim experiences responses to a rape. These factors include the extent to which a victim is believed about the rape, the extent to which it is thought that the victim precipitated the assault. Her own attributions about the rape will also influence her responses, as well as the nature of the assault, the level of violence, prior victimisation, past psychological treatment or mental illness, poor social support and other life stresses experienced at the same time as the rape. The victim does not only respond to the traumatic experience after a rape, but may also experience the psychological impact a rape may have. Reactions such as fear, anxiety, anger, aggression, guilt, shame, doubt, depression and psychopathology may be experienced as psychological reactions to a rape. The victim may also experience the impact a rape can have on her social functioning. She may withdraw socially and experience problems in her sexual functioning. The research reviewed indicated that there are factors that influence the extent that these reactions may impact on the victim’s life, if at all. These factors include: participation in the justice system, social support received after the rape, 8 cognitive appraisals made by the victim and possible psychological problems prior to the assault. The final part of a victim’s journey is the recovery. Recovery can be described the psychological work that is required by the victim. As with the responses and reactions that a rape victim experiences, the recovery process is also a journey that is dependent on many influencing factors. The factors that are identified as influencing the recovery process of the victim, both by enhancing it and by hindering it, include: demographic variables of the victim, previous victimisation, functioning before the rape (including chronic life stress and family grief, the nature of the assault, the relationship of the victim to the assailant, social support received after the rape, and the meaning the victim gives to the ordeal. This study of the existing literature concerning the journey of the rape victim through the responses she has after the rape, to the impact of the rape on her psychological and social functioning, to her recovery has highlighted the importance of influencing factors on this journey. It has also been noted by this study that there is a lack of evidence that can shed light on the factors that may influence the South African rape victim’s experience.
- Full Text:
A phenomenological understanding of acquaintance rape and the subsequent trauma as experienced by young South African women
- Authors: Moss, Lauren
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rape victims - Psychology , Acquaintance rape , Rape trauma syndrome
- Type: Thesis (D. Phil).
- Identifier: uj:8864 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5331
- Description: D.Litt.et Phil. (Psychology) , With the prevalence of rape in South Africa being the highest in the world, it is important for there to be a sound understanding of how the rape experience impacts the individual victim. A majority of rapes in the South African context are perpetrated by someone known to the victim, making acquaintance rape the most prevalent of all rape types in this country. The current understanding of the impact of all types of rape on a victim predominantly emerges from international studies which for the most part, considers the presence of traumatic distress in the victim. These studies are essential to the understanding of the impact of rape, although they are predominatly obtained through quantitative research. A qualitative understanding of the lived experience of the victim after her rape enhances and deepens the already substantive quantitative data regarding rape trauma. The practical implication is that clinicians can have a better understanding of the factors that are present in the rape experience and the complex interaction of those factors with the victim and the resulting rape trauma. As this study explores the lived experience of acquaintance rape of South African female rape victims, a qualitative methodology is utilised. Phenomenology lends itself best to the exploration of lived experience as it describes the meaning of the lived experience of individuals as that meaning pertains to a particular phenomenon. In this case the study phenomenologically explores the lived experience of being raped by an acquaintance as it applies to two young South African women who were raped by someone that they know. Through various phases of explication, the data, which is obtained through interviews with the participants, is transformed from a holistic description of the lived experience of the participants into profiles, which are essential descriptions of the raw data, and then into categories of meaning clusters. These categories are then used to achieve an extended description of the phenomenon of acquaintance rape as experienced by the participants of the study. The phenomenon of being raped by an acquaintance as experienced by the participants of this study emerge as the following themes: the specific meaning of being raped by someone that you know to those victims, the life changes which occur after the rape, the reactions of others, culpability attributed to the rape incident, the mixed emotional reactions of the victims, dealing with possible HIV infection, disruptions in interpersonal trust, social support received or not received regarding the rape and the meaning that is made of the rape experience. Each of these aspects is relevant when considered in relation to the existing body of knowledge regarding rape experiences. Certain aspects are seen to be specific in the South African context, such as the increased possibility of HIV infection. Although the small sample size means that the conclusions of the study cannot be generalised to the greater population of South African acquaintance rape victims, the observations do give readers a deeper understanding of the concept that each rape experience is unique and yet at the same time can be understood when considered in relation to the existing body of knowledge. It is recommended that future South African studies explore the phenomenon of acquaintance rape by interviewing more participants, as well as interviewing them in their mother tongue, as this would allow for an enhancement of the depth of the descriptions obtained. It is also recommended that future research takes into account the prevalence of traumatic experiences in South Africa and explores the impact of previous traumas on the recovery experience of rape victims.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Moss, Lauren
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rape victims - Psychology , Acquaintance rape , Rape trauma syndrome
- Type: Thesis (D. Phil).
- Identifier: uj:8864 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5331
- Description: D.Litt.et Phil. (Psychology) , With the prevalence of rape in South Africa being the highest in the world, it is important for there to be a sound understanding of how the rape experience impacts the individual victim. A majority of rapes in the South African context are perpetrated by someone known to the victim, making acquaintance rape the most prevalent of all rape types in this country. The current understanding of the impact of all types of rape on a victim predominantly emerges from international studies which for the most part, considers the presence of traumatic distress in the victim. These studies are essential to the understanding of the impact of rape, although they are predominatly obtained through quantitative research. A qualitative understanding of the lived experience of the victim after her rape enhances and deepens the already substantive quantitative data regarding rape trauma. The practical implication is that clinicians can have a better understanding of the factors that are present in the rape experience and the complex interaction of those factors with the victim and the resulting rape trauma. As this study explores the lived experience of acquaintance rape of South African female rape victims, a qualitative methodology is utilised. Phenomenology lends itself best to the exploration of lived experience as it describes the meaning of the lived experience of individuals as that meaning pertains to a particular phenomenon. In this case the study phenomenologically explores the lived experience of being raped by an acquaintance as it applies to two young South African women who were raped by someone that they know. Through various phases of explication, the data, which is obtained through interviews with the participants, is transformed from a holistic description of the lived experience of the participants into profiles, which are essential descriptions of the raw data, and then into categories of meaning clusters. These categories are then used to achieve an extended description of the phenomenon of acquaintance rape as experienced by the participants of the study. The phenomenon of being raped by an acquaintance as experienced by the participants of this study emerge as the following themes: the specific meaning of being raped by someone that you know to those victims, the life changes which occur after the rape, the reactions of others, culpability attributed to the rape incident, the mixed emotional reactions of the victims, dealing with possible HIV infection, disruptions in interpersonal trust, social support received or not received regarding the rape and the meaning that is made of the rape experience. Each of these aspects is relevant when considered in relation to the existing body of knowledge regarding rape experiences. Certain aspects are seen to be specific in the South African context, such as the increased possibility of HIV infection. Although the small sample size means that the conclusions of the study cannot be generalised to the greater population of South African acquaintance rape victims, the observations do give readers a deeper understanding of the concept that each rape experience is unique and yet at the same time can be understood when considered in relation to the existing body of knowledge. It is recommended that future South African studies explore the phenomenon of acquaintance rape by interviewing more participants, as well as interviewing them in their mother tongue, as this would allow for an enhancement of the depth of the descriptions obtained. It is also recommended that future research takes into account the prevalence of traumatic experiences in South Africa and explores the impact of previous traumas on the recovery experience of rape victims.
- Full Text:
The meaning of corrective rape as experienced by black South African lesbians
- Authors: De Wee, Lizelle
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Lesbians, Black - Violence against - South Africa , Lesbians, Black - South Africa , Rape trauma syndrome , Sexual abuse victims - Psychology , Heterosexism - Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/279186 , uj:29977
- Description: D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) , Abstract: This study explored the lived experiences of a group of Black lesbian women who endured corrective rape through speaking back at institutionalized patriarchy and heteronormativity. Survivors conquered the irretrievable loss of rape in various psychological and social sequelae and vulnerabilities. An exploratory qualitative research method, interpretive phenomenology, was used. The findings of the study revealed various psychological and social implications for the Black lesbian subjectivity tasked with integrating rape trauma into her life tapestry. Amongst the findings were consequences pertaining expected psychological and mental health circumstances in the context of sexual assault trauma. However, pertaining the butch Black lesbian subjectivity as such, surprising additional consequences leaned into ongoing and more exacerbated vulnerabilities of identity, performativity, and gender non-conformity, which seemed to have deepened the experience of corrective rape. As corrective rape has, to date, evaded interpretive psychological discourse, the study recommends that more explicit emphasis is placed on the psychological aspects of this additionally burdened, multi-stigmatized identity outside of heteronormative frameworks. This study also suggests urgent recognition of corrective rape as a sexual orientation-based expression of violence, emphasizing recognition of its unique burden as embodied in the subjectivity of a Black lesbian woman who is also gender non-conforming. These findings hold implications for government bodies and policies, community-based programmes and reports.
- Full Text:
- Authors: De Wee, Lizelle
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Lesbians, Black - Violence against - South Africa , Lesbians, Black - South Africa , Rape trauma syndrome , Sexual abuse victims - Psychology , Heterosexism - Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/279186 , uj:29977
- Description: D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) , Abstract: This study explored the lived experiences of a group of Black lesbian women who endured corrective rape through speaking back at institutionalized patriarchy and heteronormativity. Survivors conquered the irretrievable loss of rape in various psychological and social sequelae and vulnerabilities. An exploratory qualitative research method, interpretive phenomenology, was used. The findings of the study revealed various psychological and social implications for the Black lesbian subjectivity tasked with integrating rape trauma into her life tapestry. Amongst the findings were consequences pertaining expected psychological and mental health circumstances in the context of sexual assault trauma. However, pertaining the butch Black lesbian subjectivity as such, surprising additional consequences leaned into ongoing and more exacerbated vulnerabilities of identity, performativity, and gender non-conformity, which seemed to have deepened the experience of corrective rape. As corrective rape has, to date, evaded interpretive psychological discourse, the study recommends that more explicit emphasis is placed on the psychological aspects of this additionally burdened, multi-stigmatized identity outside of heteronormative frameworks. This study also suggests urgent recognition of corrective rape as a sexual orientation-based expression of violence, emphasizing recognition of its unique burden as embodied in the subjectivity of a Black lesbian woman who is also gender non-conforming. These findings hold implications for government bodies and policies, community-based programmes and reports.
- Full Text:
Corrective rape of black lesbians in South African townships : cracks in the enforcement of human rights
- Authors: Tonono, Belinda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Lesbians, Black - Violence against - South Africa , Lesbians, Black - South Africa , Rape trauma syndrome , Sexual abuse victims - Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/446913 , uj:39153
- Description: Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract. , LL.M. (Human Rights)
- Full Text:
- Authors: Tonono, Belinda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Lesbians, Black - Violence against - South Africa , Lesbians, Black - South Africa , Rape trauma syndrome , Sexual abuse victims - Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/446913 , uj:39153
- Description: Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract. , LL.M. (Human Rights)
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