English 1h Research Paper

To speak means to express oneself, or to convey thoughts, opinions, or emotions orally(Free). Without the ability to speak, one may be lost, and feel alone; however, some may not be able to speak because of fright and distress. In the book Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda never understood how to speak her mind after the incident at the party. Melinda was never the same, and she felt alone. Rape can lead to a loss of words, emotions, and a disheartening loss of relationships, which causes depression, stress and confusion for the victim. After being raped or sexually abused, there are many psychological concerns to contend with. Melinda had many flashbacks to the rape, especially when she saw Andy Evans, the boy who raped her. Melinda had many nightmares and was very afraid of the memories she had from the rape. When someone is raped, they are diagnosed with PTSD, which is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder leads to many disturbances within the mind, and can be very dangerous to the victim (Ulc). “There is a beast in my gut, I can hear it scraping away at my ribs. Even if I dump the memory, it will stay with me, staining me”(Anderson 24). After being raped many people feel guilty, and tell themselves that they are the reason why it happened. Melinda, for example, put herself at fault for the rape by reacting differently after it happened and not telling anybody about it. Date rape is when forced sex occurs between two people who already know each other. (Jordan) Melinda already knew who Andy Evans was before he raped her at the party, and she thought that all the rumors she heard about him were not true. Andy Evans was the most popular boy in the school, and Melinda thought he was innocent and would never do anything to hurt her. Most date rapes occur this way, which is very deceiving and make potential victims vulnerable. Date rape can affect the victim mentally, and can lead to shame and guilt for the rape.(Crisis) Melinda believed that she