Accurate statistics on the prevalence of child sexual abuse are difficult to come by for many reasons: some victims are uncertain about the precise definition of sexual abuse, or they might be unwilling to report, and/or uncomfortable about sex and sexuality in gen­eral (Ephross, 2005: Finkelhor, 1984). The overall reported incidence has been increas­ing over […]

So far we have been talking about forced sexual relations between adults. But what hap­pens when the coercive behavior involves children? Child sexual abuse is defined as sex­ual behavior that occurs between an adult and a minor. One important characteristic of child sexual abuse is the dominant, powerful position of the adult or older teen […]

Can men who rape be treated so that they lose their desire to rape? Many different ther­apies have been tried, including shock treatment, psychotherapy, behavioral treatment, support groups, and the use of Depo-Provera, a drug that can diminish a man’s sex drive. The idea behind Depo-Provera is that if the sex drive is reduced, so […]

Questioning the Victim: Was He Asking for It? ReviewQuestion Explain some of the strategies given for ^avoiding a rape. When might these strategies cause more harm than good? Avoidance Strategies Rape is the only violent crime in which we expect a person to fight back. If a woman does not struggle, we question whether or […]

If a victim is undecided about whether or not to press charges, it may be helpful to sit in on a rape trial. Rape trials can be extremely difficult for all involved. However, the pur­pose of sitting in is not to scare a person but to prepare oneself. It is not easy to proceed with […]

The decision to press official charges is a very difficult one that takes much considera­tion. It has often been said that a rape victim goes through a second rape because he or she seems to be put on trial more than the accused rapist. Court proceedings take up a great deal of time and energy, […]

On college campuses, campus police are often notified before the local police. Campus police may be able to take disciplinary action, such as fines or dismissal if the assailant is a student, but they are not able to press formal charges. Pressing charges with the lo­cal police may be important for two reasons. First, it […]

It is estimated that about 1 in 7 rapes is reported (Resnick et al., 2005); the likelihood of reporting is increased if the assailant was a stranger, if there was violence, or if a weapon was involved (U. S. Department of Justice-Office of Justice Programs, 2002). This probably has to do with the fact that […]

In 2003, President Bush signed off on the Prison Rape Elimination Act, a federal law that reduces tolerance for prison sexual assault, mandates the collection of national data on the incidence of prison rape, and provides funding for research and program devel­opment. This law has helped reduce prison rape and support those who have been […]

In 2000 a high school football team in Yucca Valley, California was found guilty of par­ticipating in a bizarre “hazing” incident. New team players were treated aggressively, shoved, abused, and even anally penetrated with a large stick. Many of the athletes claimed that this hazing was a tradition that helps increase team bonding. Do you […]