Negative Effects Of Rape

Rape survivors who speak out about their assault experience are often punished for doing so. They are subjected to negative reactions from support providers. These negative reactions may thereby serve a silencing function, leading some rape survivors to stop talking about their experiences to anyone at all. For example, Courtney Ahrens (2006) examined the impact of negative social reactions on the disclosure of rape. The study focused on the qualitative narratives of eight rape survivors who initially disclosed the assault but then stopped disclosing for a significant period of time. The results of the study revealed that negative reactions from professionals led survivors to question whether future disclosures would be effective, negative
Thus, serving a silencing function. Survivors who initially decide to break the silence and report their aggressors, may rapidly reconsider this decision and choose to stop speaking out and move on with their lives. Negative reactions such as being judged, being denied help, or being blamed may effectively repress the survivor’s voices, leaving them powerless and silent (Ahrens,
For example, in Ahrens (2006) experiment, women reported that being silenced was a direct result of the accumulation of blaming, and insensitive reactions from others and from community system. Similarly, inappropriate support (i.e. from family and friends) that is intended to be helpful often results in hurtful or simply not what the survivor needs at that moment. Researchers Herbert and Dunkel (1992) argued that intentionally negative reactions (e.g. blaming) and unintentional negative reactions (advice from a friend or family member) both are ineffective support attempts. Ahrens (2006) study’s results revealed that most of the survivors described interactions with family and friends were inadequate for overcoming their own feelings of self-blame. The survivors end up internalizing many of the cultural narratives about rape that emphasize the culpability of the victim. When support providers were not able to give adequate support, the victims’ reactions were self-silencing, choosing to censor themselves and stay silent because they considered the experience to be shameful and stigmatizing (Ahrens,