[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on Rape and Effects
In 1981 almost 82,000 rapes were reported, and 76 percent of these were rapes by force. Estimates vary widely regarding the percentage of reported rapes compared with the number of actual incidents. One survey of over 900 adult women reported that 44 percent of them had experienced a rape or an attempted rape. The most frequent rape victim is an adolescent female. A study of 117 rapes reported that 50 percent were females between the ages of 15 and 24 and that 32 percent of these were between the ages of 15 and 19. Male and homosexual rape is reported less frequently, and the actual incidence is not known. It has been suggested that the stigma associated with male rape deters many victims from reporting.
The 1980 FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) figures on rape reporting estimate that between 40 and 50 percent of all rapes are never reported. Because knowledge of the assailant is a factor in reporting, and victims who know their assailants are less likely to report, there is an under representation of all cases that appear for prosecution. A 1980 study reported that 35 percent of over 600 female rape victims knew their assailants and another study concluded that the number of victims who know their assailants is probably higher than 50 percent.
The legal issues involved in rape cases are complex. Before a prosecutor files a rape complaint there must usually be medical evidence of penetration, lack of victim consent, and threat or use of force. In many states, I believe mandatory sentences for rapists are so harsh that lesser charges are frequently substituted. It is most likely that a rapist will be booked and convicted if the victim does not agree to the initial contact with the rapist (e.g., does not accept a date with him), if the offender is a stranger to the victim, if the offender uses a weapon, and if the victim is injured......
