Acquaintance and Date Rape

Sexual intercourse that occurs without consent is rape. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to unwanted sexual intercourse. One third of women who report being raped were between the ages of 12 and 17 when they were assaulted. One in eight high school girls report being raped. Amongst college age women who are raped 80% know their assailant and half of rapes occur during a date.

Date rape occurs when someone she is dating forces a woman to have sex. Older high school girls and first year college students are at greatest risk of date rape. Physical force or threat of harm is common. More than half of all date rapes occur in the home, it is more likely in the home of the male than of the female. Cars are another place date rape occurs. The use of drugs and alcohol, either involuntarily or voluntarily, may occur before the assault. There are a group of drugs called "date rape" drugs. These are illegal drugs that offenders typically put into the drinks of unsuspecting females. Rohypnol (nicknamed roofies or forget pill) and gamma-hydroxybutyrate ( GHB, liquid X, g-juice) are two such drugs. They cause loss of memory and reduce inhibitions such that victims may act in ways they would not normally and then have no memory of the event. Use of these drugs in no way attaches blame to the victim, if she did not consent to sexual activity it is rape.

Although rape is not the fault of the victim, women must be aware of ways they can protect themselves. Parents must be sure their daughters know practical ways to protect themselves and that their sons are aware that forced sexual activity is rape. Girls should avoid any physical activity that makes them uncomfortable. If unwanted touching or other behavior occurs she should move away and say, "Stop doing that." Both girls and boys need to understand that dating doesn’t mean that sexual activity is owed to one or other partner. Being in someone else’s home or car does not mean that sexual activity has been consented to. Girls should trust their intuition, if they feel a situation is unsafe it probably is. They should be encouraged to be assertive in removing themselves from a situation. It is O.k. to yell, scream, make a scene or call for help.

Women and girls need to be aware of situations that put themselves at risk for unwanted sexual activity. Avoid isolated locations. Be aware of your surroundings; if something seems odd or out of place, leave. Be very careful with alcohol or other drug use. Never leave drinks unattended such that date rape drugs can be placed into them. Some date rape drugs have blue dye in them thus avoid blue drinks. Never leave a party or other social situation with someone who is not well known. Parents should have an agreement that they will pick up their daughters, with no questions asked, if needed.

If rape has occurred, or if a girl suspects she may have been raped she needs to get help. First she should go to a safe place. A medical evaluation is very important. Emergency rooms are prepared to deal with rape in a compassionate manner. All treatment and counseling is confidential. Police departments also have specially trained officers who will help rape victims receive appropriate care. Obtaining evidence of rape is important to aid in prosecuting the rapist. Victims should not bathe, douche or change clothes until they have been collected as evidence. Save a urine sample if there is a suspicion of drugs. Even if the victim does not want to involve the police she must take care of herself. Many rape victims don’t report the crime to the police because they think no one will believe them or that nothing can be done about it. Rape victims need to be treated for potential exposure to sexually transmitted diseases and should ask for emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy.

Emotional reactions to rape may occur both immediately after the assault and also months or years after the event. Victims may feel guilty, ashamed, angry, fearful, and depressed. Nightmares, an inability to concentrate, crying, abdominal pain, menstrual problems, headaches and gastrointestinal problems may also be present. Post traumatic stress disorder can also follow a sexual assault. This may occur months after the event. Women who have been raped should seek the help of mental health counselors to help them cope with the emotional responses to the assault. Locally The South Shore Women’s center has a hot-line (888-746-2664) and trained counselors to help rape victims. The Jordan hospital has a rape crisis line (508-830-2835) to assist women in getting medical treatment and counseling after a sexual assault.