Traditionally, rape has been viewed as a crime perpetrated by men against women. However, it is now recognised that males can also be victims of rape. The current research had several interrelated aims to; (i) provide a profile of both male and female rape victims, (ii) compare the characteristics of rape perpetrated against male and female victims, (iii) estimate the incidence of male and female rape within the general community, (iv) describe the reporting practices of rape victims, and (v) determine the relationship between rape and depression, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts. The community's level of rape myth endorsement was also explored. Rape myths were defined as attitudes and beliefs about rape, rape victims, and rapists that are generally false but are widely and persistently held, and serve to deny and justify sexual aggression against women and men. The present study compared rape myth endorsement levels concerning both male and female victims. However, it was first necessary to construct a rape myth questionnaire, the Rape Attitudinal Scale (RAQ), which minimised the methodological limitations of pre-existing scales. The current research utilised online methodology and, in total, 560 individuals participated in the research. It was found that almost two out of every five participants had been a victim of rape during their lifetime, with males accounting for 8.60% of the raped sample. Rape victims emanated from a variety of demographic backgrounds and the gender differences between the characteristics of the rape were discussed. Approximately one in seven rape victims stated that they had reported the rape to police, with half of those rape victims regretting informing the police of their experience. Almost twice as many female rape victims than male rape victims failed to report their rape to anyone. It was also found that victims of rape are more likely to report rape to authorities when the rape fits the

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves : [97]-99).

Prevention of HIV following sexual assault is an important aspect of rape care. This includes taking Post Exposure Prophylaxis for 28 days. The present study aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of social and environmental factors that predisposed, promoted and also served as barriers to adherence to post exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV infection after sexual assault in women in the Eastern Cape Province. The study involved a purposive sample of women who were offered Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) after a sexual assault. Sixteen women were accessed at the Sinawe Referral Centre and participated in the study. Their ages ranged from 16 to 73 years. An interview guide was developed to assist the researcher, and semistructured, in-depth interviews were used to collect data. These women were interviewed at the end of 28 days of taking the prophylactic medication. The data were analyzed inductively using grounded theory. Only three women completed the 28 days of PEP treatment. Participants gave different explanations for why they did not complete the treatment with only four participants returning to the centre for their medication. Some reported having no money for transport; others mentioned deciding to discontinue the medication because of its side-effects. Poor support systems, both within the community and the health services, including the provision of conflicting information also played a role. The study showed that few women were able to complete their PEP medication and knowledge about the service and access to it were the main factors that lead to non-adherence. There is an urgent need for the improvement of PEP services particular in the support to the women during the period of taking the PEP treatment to ensure protection from HIV after a sexual assault. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions and experiences of rape survivors who were receiving Post Exposure Prophylaxis at a regional hospital. Methodology: A phenomenological approach was used to explore the phenomena, of rape survivors' perception and experiences concerning the Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) they received. The study was conducted in R.K.Khan Hospital, in an Outpatient Department in a gynaecology clinic. This is the regional hospital located in Chatsworth, in the Inner Outer West of Ethekwini District. The sample comprised of ten female rape survivors who were receiving Post Exposure Prophylaxis. Data was collected by means of face-to-face interviews using an interview guide. Interviews were lasting thirty to forty minutes long per participant. The researcher applied the principle of theoretical saturation of data and a total of ten participants were included in the study. All interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data was analysed manually using the Editing Analysis Style. Findings: The results of this study indicated that PEP is the new service to rape survivors and this evoked that when you are being raped you face a risk of range of immediate, medium, and long term health problems; physical, and psychological problems. The rape survivors described a number of emotions and physical reactions that they experienced when they were receiving PEP after rape, which were negative and positive reactions. Most experiences they faced indicated that they benefited from the PEP program, because they gained knowledge, got support from care providers and major diseases and complications were prevented by offering the Post Exposure Prophylaxis A number of recommendations were suggested for the provision of PEP program to the community that is for nursing practice, management and education, the policy makers and for future research in an 'attempt to prevent major complications and health problems that occur in rape survivors. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-137).

Raters' response toward victim and perpetrators in the context of rape is examined. More blame is attributed to a female than a male victim by all raters, particularly if the female victim is described only as being raped. Detailed description of different forms of injury resulting from the rape tends to act as a mediating factor in the amount of blame assigned to victims. Whereas the delineation of injury tends to decrease the amount of blame assigned to the female victim, this pattern is reversed for the male. Raters also claim a physically injured rape victim would require a substantially longer recuperation time than one whose injuries are psychological or unspecified.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 E86 / Master of Science

This study was based on subjective attitudes towards wife rape of 85 women and detailed interviews with 20 of them. It aimed to measure the relation between traditionalism and use of the term wife rape, awareness of wife rape and of its criminalisation; and to understand women's experiences and subjective definitions of wife rape and their coping strategies. Once wife rape was problematised, definitions varied. Women holding more traditional attitudes (informal settlement women) were less likely to define the wife's experience in a vignette as wife rape than women holding less traditional (shelter women) and non-traditional attitudes (Network identified women). Additionally, women holding more non-traditional attitudes were more likely to define the event as wife rape than were other women. Similar intergroup differences in traditionalism on awareness of wife rape and its criminalisation emerged. The line between sexual violence and violent sexuality was a thin one at times. / M.A (Pshychology)

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.

M.A. / The purpose of this dissertation was to gain an in depth understanding of the impact on family functioning post the act of rape upon one of its members. Family members of rape victims either completed a questionnaire or they were interviewed by the researcher. This was solely at their discretion. Their perceptions and experiences were recorded and analysed. Rape and sexual assault has a definite effect on the social functioning of family members. All of the respondents felt that the rape had affected them deeply and most of the participants believed that the incident had a devastating effect initially. The majority of the respondents sought help from an external source because they felt that they were in need of support. Their family unit was threatened and to regain control of it, counselling was sought. This counselling was mainly individual in nature but there were certain instances where couples therapy played a role. Not one of the respondents ever attended a group or a family session. This was because there was no support group in place to fulfill this need. All the participants believed that support groups for family members of rape victims was both vital and necessary. If given the chance, all of them would have attended a support group session. On the whole, literature verifies the results found in this study. Most literature agrees that rape has a serious impact on family functioning post the act of rape upon one of its members. Some families may only have had bad memories but continued to function completely normally whilst others virtually stopped functioning at all and the resultant family unit was forever broken. Whether the family continues to function normally or that they are unable to cope at all, the fact still remains that the effect of rape on the social functioning of the family is felt to a greater or lesser degree. In most instances, the impact of rape has very traumatic repercussions that should lead to social work intervention. / Dr. E. Oliphant