OPINION: Public must understand nuances of assault victims’ experience
In the last few months, the headlines have been dominated by Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump’s public mocking of Ford’s testimony. Amid these stories, there has been a whirlwind of support for sexual assault victims. Politicians, celebrities and other public figures are now coming forward with their own stories of sexual assault or emphasizing their support for survivors. To create a more open forum for discussion of this perilous issue, people must be educated about the specialized trauma sexual assault victims experience to become more empathetic.
With that said, there are also many coming to the defense of the accused, by asserting that victims should have reported their assaults sooner if their allegations were true.
This defense stems from a misconception of how the human psyche processes sexual assault, and a justice system that continually fails survivors. In fact, this defense exacerbates the unjust shame that has been projected onto sexual assault victims for centuries — and arguably amplifies the fear victims already experience when reporting their sexual assault. This vindication, which is commonly used against sexual assault victims, isn’t a new argument. In most cases, this defense has been purposely used to scare victims back into silence.
According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, approximately 310 of 1,000 sexual assaults are reported. Of those reported, it is estimated that only six perpetrators receive a prison sentence. This notion elucidates how the United States’ justice system fails sexual assault victims at an astronomical level. The majority of sexual assault victims who do report their assaults — and endure the painful and lengthy process that is required to do so — seldom see justice served.
The response to this defense, especially in the case of Kavanaugh, isn’t simple — but neither is the question. Sexual assault and its long- and short-term effects are individualized, just like each assault differs from the next. There is rarely a straightforward answer to why some women and men don’t report their assault.
However, it is important to be informed of, and to make an effort to sympathize with, the trauma that victims endure. There is often a disconnect with sexual assault and trauma, which mostly stems from the stigma that surrounds sexual assault. It’s important to understand that this trauma can result in myriad mental illness, including posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorders and depression, according to RAINN. In some cases, these mental ailments can lead to a suicide or suicide attempts.
It is also important to note that these mental illnesses are often long-term effects of sexual assault, which can play a major role in a victim’s ability to report. The short-term effects of sexual assault tend to be as debilitating as the long-term effects, although they do differ in crucial ways. After sexual assault, victims commonly experience feelings of confusion, anger, sadness, dissociation and shame.
These facts alone should be enough for a person of sound mind to fathom why a victim would not report their assault imminently, if at all. Trauma is complex and therefore requires therapeutic methods to recover from. In some cases, it can takes years — even decades — for a victim to come forth to anyone about their assault, let alone the authorities.
The trauma sexual assault survivors experience is deep and debilitating at times, often coupled with feelings of fear and humiliation. Ford’s courage — not only to come forward with her story but to testify before a congressional committee — sets a precedent for millions of sexual assault victims, and she should not be villainized for her nobility. With sexual assault now at the forefront of public consciousness, thanks to women like Ford, it is imperative that people make an effort to understand the depth of victims’ trauma to facilitate more open and productive dialogues.