Beyond the myth: The facts on rape and sexual assualt

One in every six women is at risk of being of being sexually assaulted in her lifetime, according to an international rape charity.

Rape is a problem most of us think we’ll never face but the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) says that the ordeal is something many people, including high numbers of men, have to deal with.

Rape is still one of the most unreported crimes in Ireland. According to the latest statistics from the Rape Crisis Network (RCNI) only about 18% of victims reported sexual violence to the gardai.

Victims often don’t report the crime due to the fear of not being believed or fear of their attacker. Hurting loved ones can also be a concern if they were attacked by someone they know.

Most recent figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that reported rapes have dropped from 367 in 2006 to 353 in 2007 while the number detected remained stable at 204 and 203 in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

However the numbers of reported cases reaching court proceedings and the conviction rates for perpetrators remain low with only 9 of the 50 cases which reached court in 2007 resulting in a conviction.

Many of the misconceptions about rape are born out of ignorance about the subject or used by rapists as justification for their actions.

For example there are myths that men aren’t raped; that most rapes are carried out by strangers; that women who wear revealing clothing invite rape etc. These ideas couldn’t be further from the truth.

The fact is men also experience sexual assault, that most rapes are carried out by people you know, no matter what a girl wears they do not invite rape. No means no and sometimes victims don’t struggle or resist because it’s the only way for them to survive.

There is no justification for rape; the only person ever to blame is the perpetrator. According to the RCNI, rape is about power rather than sexual desire.

Drug rape is also an increasing problem in Irish culture today. As date rape drugs such as rohypnoll, GHB and ketamine become more common and easier to find, drug rape becomes more prevalent. DRCC figures show calls to their helpline involving drug rape increased from 1.72% to 2.31% from 2007 to 2008.

The most common drug used in drug rape is alcohol, whether by someone taking advantage of an already drunk person, by pressuring someone to drink or by mixing someone stronger drinks than they realise.

Most rape drugs have no taste or smell and can only be forensically detected within 48 hours.

As most rape drugs produce an amnesia like effect, the drugs may already have passed from your system before you even remember the incident.

There are a number of ways to stay safe and avoid becoming a victim of drug rape. Don’t leave your drink unattended and if your drink looks, smells or tastes strange; don’t drink it. If taking a drink from someone ensure it’s poured in front of you.

If you think you may have been drugged or feel far too drunk when you know you shouldn’t be, get to a safe place and get help from a trusted friend.

For those affected by rape or sexual assault the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) provides a number of essential services. These include a national helpline, one-to-one counselling, court accompaniment, outreach services and accompaniment to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in the Rotunda Hospital.

The freephone telephone helpline is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by a team of more than 70 trained volunteers who provide counselling outside of office hours.

The line took 9,487 genuine counseling calls in 2008, 14% of which were from male victims of sexual assault or abuse.

The trained volunteers also accompanied 284 victims to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit and carried out 25 court accompaniments.

The DRCC’s stay safe tips for people on a night out include staying with your group of friends, never going to remote places and always ensuring your mobile phone is charged.

If you are raped or assaulted you should immediately seek medical attention and make sure all the appropriate tests are taken for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. A DRCC volunteer can accompany you to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit.

For those who choose to report a rape or assault to the gardai, they will be interviewed (he/she will be given the choice to be interviewed by a female garda) and then given a medical exam if one hasn’t already taken place. A DRCC volunteer can accompany the victim throughout the whole process if they wish.

If you have experienced rape or sexual assault contact The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on the freephone number 1800 77 88 88.

As difficult as the experience may be, remember that you don’t have to go through it alone.

Male Rape - Sam Matthews

In the last few years, there has been an enormous amount of media focus on the topic of rape.The overwhelming preponderance of this material concerns male-on-female rape. By comparison, there has been scant public or media attention focusing on the rape of adult and adolescent males.

It is only recently that professionals in the health industry have begun to address the difficult subject of male rape. It may be difficult to believe, but in the US it is estimated that the number of males raped each year is almost twice that of the number of females raped. This is partly due to the massive prison population, where rape is a horrific commonplace reality.

Yet for some reason, society has decided that male rape – in particular, the idea of prison rape – is hilarious (“don’t drop the soap” etc.). However male rape occurs in non-institutional contexts also, and should be treated as gravely and soberly as any other incidence of rape.

There exists an assumption among many people that male rape occurs only within the gay community, and similarly, only to homosexual men. This is incorrect. Studies show that heterosexual men are just as likely to be victims.

Indeed a study conducted by the respected scholars Hodge and Carter found that heterosexual males are often the perpetrators of male rape. This led them to conclude that the motivation behind many rapes is a desire for humiliation and control, rather than sexual expression.

The effect that rape has on a victim – not least in terms of emotional and psychological damage – is already well documented. Suffice to say that the resulting trauma from the assault is no different for a male victim.

Misguided feelings of guilt and self-blame are not uncommon. As a result it is estimated that a large number of male rape victims, similarly to female rape victims, do not report their experience. For this reason, it is difficult to gain a full picture of exactly how common male rape really is, particularly outside institutional facilities. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre reports that approximately 12% of its clients are male.

Male victims must help themselves by coming forward and reporting instances of rape to the police, as women are increasingly doing. At the very least, seeking counselling or support from a friend, family member or rape crisis centre can help a lot.

This is the only way that the perpetrators of rape will ever be held accountable, and also might help other people to see beyond their narrow-minded perception of what male rape means.