Sexual Assault: Victims ought to loved and cared for

 

Ibiyemi Adekowajo

 

Sexual abuse is an unwanted sexual activity with perpetrators using force, making threats or taking advantage of victims not able to give consent.

 

A wide range of sexually violence acts can take place in different circumstances and settings. These include, for example: rape within marriage or dating relationships, rape by strangers, systematic rape during armed conflict, unwanted sexual advances or sexual harassment, including demanding sex in return for favours, sexual abuse of people with disability, sexual abuse of children, forced marriage etc.

Various studies have pointed at different factors that are associated with sexual offense like alcohol and drug, indecent dressing, peer etc.

Alcohol and drug abuse have been one of the important factors associated with sexual abuse because they were observed as the major purveyors of sexual assault(Graham et ak; 2014; Mumford et al; 2011).

 

Alcohol has an effect if reducing inhibitions, thus, leading to behaviours that normally would have been inhibited in any situation. Some drugs, notably, cocaine has been seen to play a dis-inhibiting role in certain types of sexual assault (Grisso et al; 1999)

Sexually aggressive behaviour among young men has been linked with gang membership and having delinquent peers(Quimette & Riggs, 1998; Borowsky et al; 1997).

 

Research has also shown that men with such peers are likely to report enforced intercourse outside the gang context than men lacking sexually aggressive peers.

 

Indecent dressing and exposure of the young female bodies is one of their attraction to males which could probably lead to assault.

 

Symptoms from sexual assault can include anxiety, anger and defiance, prolonged sadness or depression, concussion about relationship with peers, nightmares and fares, getting startled easily etc.

 

Families and communities have many characteristics that can provide protection for victims especially children. It includes the ability of interacting openly about relationships, intimacy and sexual education matters, friends who are caring and who make good decisions, warm relationship with caring people.

In the case of sexual assault, short term community-based treatment may be recommended to provide therapy and support to the victims.

 

More so, not forcing the victim to talk and providing warmth can be of help to the healing process from the trauma. Showing love to the victims and not disregarding them should be known by close people to the victims. Doing all those would be of great help to victims.

 

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