TOP 15 REASONS NOT TO REPORT A SEXUAL ASSAULT
1. NEGATIVE RESPONSES AT 1ST DISCLOSURE
Although current research on trauma outlines the beneficial psychological
outcomes of disclosing traumatic experiences, this benefit hinges on positive
or supportive reactions. Studies have found that negative reactions upon
disclosure can increase the psychological dysfunction resulting from a
trauma. Research is revealing that a substantial number of victims
encounter negative social reactions (e.g., anger, rejection, derision,
disbelief, blame). Victims are most likely to get negative reactions from
formal support providers including police and physicians. Negative reactions
from family and friends may preempt reporting the assault to the police.
2. BEING TRAUMATIZED
The immediate or acute psychological symptoms of trauma include denial,
avoidance, self-doubt, shock, confusion, helplessness, depression, anxiety and
fear. Sexual victimization leads to immediate, intense and negative
self-evaluations. Victims often show a decreased ability to concentrate
post trauma. Victimization leads to anxiety and depression which may decrease
ability or desire to deal with the criminal justice system. Research
indicates that 94% of sexual assault victims meet the post-traumatic stress
disorder symptom criteria in the first two weeks following an assault.
3. AVOIDING ANXIETY
Victims of trauma often want to avoid reliving the emotions connected to an
assault. Retelling the details of an assault can be traumatic for a
victim as disclosure brings these emotions to the forefront. Victims often want
to avoid discussing the assault because of the anticipatory anxiety of being
reminded of the rape.
4. STIGMA OF BEING A VICTIM
Victims may delay reporting to avoid the stigma of being a sexual assault
victim. Our society exhibits continued cultural support for rape myths or
judgmental assumptions about victims of sexual assault. Victims may worry
about how others will react to them and may avoiding sharing information with
people who could potentially provide support.
5. PROTECTION OF SECONDARY VICTIMS
Victims are part of a social network or a whole constellation of significant
others who may be made uncomfortable with the disclosure of an assault.
Trauma victims have been found to censor themselves to avoid expressing
feelings that will make others feel uncomfortable. The significant
others, or people whose relationship with the victim will be affected by the
assault, have been referred to by clinicians as secondary victims. Married women
appear to be at higher risk for increased traumatization after a sexual assault
because they have to deal not only with their emotions but also with the
emotions of their spouses. One study reported that husbands tend to lose
patience with the dysfunction of their spouse after 6 to 8 weeks, become more
demanding and are perceived as less supportive. The majority of victims
experience a disruption in their intimate relationships.
6. FACING THE OFFENDER SOCIALLY
Research is beginning to reveal the frequency with which women are assault
by men known to them. Victims of known assailants are less likely to disclose
the assault, seek crisis services and report to the police. Embarrassment,
doubt and fear in victims are increased when their assailant is part of their
social network or someone they may have to continue to interact with.
7. FEAR OF RETALIATION
Fear and anxiety reactions in victims can be severe and long lasting.
Victims of sexual assaults report a fear of retaliation from the rapist.
In one study 64% of victims thought they might be killed or seriously injured
during the assault. Victims may develop a generalized fear of crime or a
specific fear of their offender returning.
8. FAILURE TO IDENTIFY THE ASSAULT AS CRIMINAL
Most women are assaulted by people known to them. Studies of assaults
find that 45% to 78% of assaults are committed by acquaintances, relatives and
intimates. Research indicates that up to half of the women who experience
forced, non-consensual sexual intercourse do not label their experience as
rape. Many victims still consider sexual assault to only be those
assaults committed by a stranger and do not report their victimization to the
police.
9. SELF-BLAME
Self-blame is a common reaction to encountering trauma. As one’s
assumptions about a just world are shaken, victims’ answers to the question
“Why did this happen to me?” is that they caused it in some way. One study
found that 74% of rape victims blamed themselves, at least in part, for the
assault. Self-blame is significantly associated with increased depression
following sexual assault. Victims who feel more self-blame are less likely to
report an assault. Self-blame may be greater for victims who consumed alcohol
before an assault. These victims show greater levels of traumatization
than victims who did not drink before being attacked. Self-blame affects
the way victims are perceived by others in that they are more likely to accept
the victim’s construction that she is partially responsible for the assault.
10. SHAME OR EMBARRASSMENT
Shame, embarrassment, and humiliation are common reactions to trauma.
Being singled out, particularly for negative reasons, makes many people
uncomfortable. Victims may also be embarrassed to talk about unwanted sexual
activity.
11. FEAR OF NOT BEING BELIEVED
Victims who delay reporting often express a concern that people will doubt
that the sexual assault was non-consensual. Women who know their
assailants are more likely to express this fear and delay reporting. Williams
(1984) observed that a woman will report her assault only if she is “confident
that others - parents, friends, and especially police - will perceive her as a
victim” (p.461, italics added).
12. DISTRUST IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
The criminal justice process is often described as a ‘second assault’ on a
victim. Sexual assault victims often report poor assistance from the
criminal justice system. No empirical studies have looked at the correlation
between increased traumatization and involvement with the criminal justice system
for adult victims of assault. In studies on victims of sexual abuse,
however, the number of times that children had to retell their story correlated
with an increase in levels of trauma. Irrespective of gentle handling of
child victims, each retelling brings the guilt and self-blame to forefront.
13. PROSPECT OF CROSS-EXAMINATION
The key to a defence in a sexual assault trial is the discrediting of the
victim’s story. Implicit in the trial process is the attempt to prove
that the victim is lying about consent (e.g., she changed her mind
afterwards). Alternatively, consent should be implied from her behavior
(e.g., she is of loose character, she went to his apartment, she did not
complain at the first available opportunity).
14. AGE
Women assaulted at a younger age appear to be more traumatized. A
higher percentage of younger victims delay disclosure. In one study, 63%
of sexual assault victims who were 18 years old or younger told no one at all
at the time of the assault.
15. HISTORY OF VICTIMIZATION
Women who have been sexually abused as children or who have experienced a
previous sexual assault are more likely to delay disclosure. Assault
victims who are at higher risk for adverse psychological symptoms are actually
less likely to seek help. Research in the area of child abuse finds that
people who have suffered multiple victimization are more likely to feel
responsible (e.g., it’s something about them that makes this keep happening to
them) thus delaying disclosure.
