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Sexual abuse and its implication to the society
Introduction
Sexual abuse is among the many crimes committed by humans to their counterparties. Every human despite their sex, age, political affiliation, faith, and social status has at one point being drawn into discussing, listening or even being involved personally in matters to do with sexual abuse. Sex itself is one of the most sensitive aspects of human life. Not many people feel comfortable discussing it, and it even gets more complicated to tackle when it is abused. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability or is below the legal age of consent (work health organization). The society we are living in today is characterized by many vices unlike in the past centuries. Today, Sexual abuse can be experienced by any member of the community who includes and not limited to men, women, children, disabled and the elderly. The act has had many implications, severe and persistent problem in the society which contributes to abnormal and arrested development, and a wide range of psychological and emotional disorders, that some may experience for a lifetime.
Sexual abuse refers to unwanted sexual activity or behavior by one person upon the other using force, making threats or taking advantage of victims not able to give consent. It can also refer to an action that impacts a person’s ability to control their sexual activity or the circumstances in which sexual activities occur. Biblically, sexual abuse is a violation of the biblical principles of modesty, purity, and respect for others. God designed sexuality to be expressed in monogamous, heterosexual marriages. All of our sexual attention should be reserved for our spouses only. Ideally, we should not even have sexual thoughts about anyone else, including prospective girlfriends and boyfriends. Paul’s instruction to Timothy is essential here: “Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity” (1 Timothy 5:1b-2). The biblical mandate is for our purity to be “absolute.” The fact is that sexual abuse would never take place if everyone treated everyone else with this type of consideration and respect.
Sexual abuse is a real nightmare in society today. It includes both touching and non-touching behaviors. The touching behaviors include; refusing to use condoms or restricting someone’s access to birth control, unwanted kissing or touching of private parts, rape or attempted rape, and sexual contact with someone who is very drunk, drugged, unconscious or otherwise unable to say “yes” or ‘no.” The non- touching behaviors include keeping someone from protecting themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), trying to look at person’s naked body or exposure of genitalia, taking pornographic pictures or exposing them to pornography pictures and videos. Both male and female can be victims of sexual abuse, and either of them can be a perpetrator of sexual abuse. It can occur in the same-sex and opposite-sex relationship as well as in between two people who have been sexually active with each other before, including people who are married or dating.
According to a research conducted in US 2015 by National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives (Black M. C, Basile K. C, Breiding M. J, Smith S .G, Walters M. L, Merrick M. T, Stevens M. R). 46.4% lesbians, 74.9% bisexual women and 43.3% heterosexual women reported sexual violence other than rape during their lifetimes, while 40.2% gay men, 47.4% bisexual men and 20.8% heterosexual men reported sexual abuse other than rape during their lifetimes. (Walters M.L, Chen J, & Breiding M.J) Nearly one in 10 women has been raped by an intimate partner in her lifetime, including completed forced penetration, attempted forced penetration or alcohol/drug facilitated completed penetration. Approximately one in 45 men has been made to penetrate an intimate partner during his lifetime (Breiding M. J, Chen J, & Black, M. C). 91% of the victims of rape and sexual assault are female, and 9% are male (Rennison, C. A). In eight out of 10 cases of abuse, the victim knew the person who sexually assaulted them (Miller, T. R., Cohen, M. A., & Wiersema, B). 8% of rapes occur while the victim is at work (Duhart, D. T.).
As much as sexual abuse is against the law in many places in the world and also a sin according to the Bible, there are several countries that sexual abuse such as marital rape is legal. Ghanaian law, for example, states that “consent given by husband or wife at marriage, for marriage, cannot be revoked,” unless the parties are divorced or legally separated. In India, where spousal rape is still legal, one-third of men admit to forcing their wives into a sexual act. One Indian woman told the (Women’s Media Center) that her husband once beat her into a semi-conscious state and raped her with a flashlight. He was never prosecuted. Studies show that spousal rape often happens in such situations, where rape and other forms of abuse occur in tandem. One study from the (National Institute of Justice) found that the majority of women who were physically assaulted by a partner were sexually assaulted by that partner as well. Criminalizing spousal rape, then does more than punish rapists- it protects women in abusive relationships as well (Emily Shugerman “There are still ten countries where it’s legal to rape your spouse”).
In contemporary society, the vice affects everyone despite their social status. These include and not limited to the elderly, children, disabled, and spouses among others. It’s hard to imagine, but even the frail older adults in both domestic and institutional settings get sexually abused too. Although research suggests that older people are at less risk of sexual abuse than other age groups, in one of the first investigations of adult sexual abuse, Ramsey-Klawsnik (1991) found 28 cases of suspected domestic elder sexual abuse as described by APS workers in Massachusetts. All the victims were females, and most were sexually abused by their caregivers, with the largest category of perpetrators being husbands and adult sons. The incidents which do occur, as well as the fear of such events, can have a dramatic impact on the quality of life of those older people, especially those who are vulnerable due to physical frailty, dependency or social isolation.
According to a survey conducted in 2005 by (Stopler) people with disabilities are sexually abused at nearly three times the rate of non-disabled individuals. The research indicates that 60% (Stopler) of the respondents had been subjected to some form of unwanted sexual activity. Unfortunately, almost half never reported the cases. In general, people with disabilities experience domestic and sexual abuse at higher rates than people who do not have any form of disability. In some East African communities, people with disabilities are regarded as less intelligent, less productive or not deserving positive attention (Stopler; “African Child Policy Forum”; Groce). Worse still, they may be looked upon with active hostility as a threat to social norms or be associated with witchcraft and curses (“Save the Children & Handicap International”). Such views devalue people with disabilities, lowering the moral threshold for them as victims and lessening the seriousness with which society may view abuse of people with disabilities (Groce, “Save the Children & Handicap International”). The justification for abuse is sometimes appropriated because people with disabilities are fortunate to receive such attention (Stopler, Hanass-Hancock) or that people with learning difficulties do not feel pain (Pasha, 2012). There are innumerable cases of women, girls, and boys, with mental disabilities who have been subjected to sexual abuse but cannot access justice due to all manner of obstacles and crazy court rulings in Kenya. Some of these victims of sexual abuse have had cases against their attackers taken to court either by relatives or organizations on their behalf, but for some reason, justice has been long in coming. In Nanyuki, for instance, a woman with a mental disability was raped by a man said to be a family friend. When the matter went to court, he was charged with “involvement in prostitution with a person with a mental disability,” not rape (Judiciary, do more for mentally challenged sexual abuse victims, Daily Nation Wednesday, September 26, 2018).
In an abusive relationship where the partners are married, there is a big misconception that rape cannot occur. This is not true. According to (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence), between 10 to 14 percent of married women will be raped at some point during their marriages. Eighteen percent of female victims of spousal rape report that their children witnessed the crime. Beyond this, Victims of marital rape also face extreme barriers to reporting or even disclosing the act occurred fearing that no one will believe them. People wrongly assume that one spouse in a marriage is legally permitted to demand sex or force the other spouse to participate in intercourse. If one is trapped in a domestic situation involving sexual abuse, they may feel helpless and lonely. Over time, they begin to realize that what they are dealing with is abuse, because they no longer have a choice in what goes on in the bedroom. The Sexual Offences Act of 2006 (SOA) Section 42 provides that “a person consents if he or she agrees by choice, and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.” Although the section does not elaborate on the meaning of choice or freedom, this definition appears to emphasize the importance of free will and the ability to decide whether or not to take part in the sexual activity at the time in question, in the absence of coercion or deceit.
It is the responsibility of parents to provide and protect their children among other duties. It is therefore expected that a parent should shield his or her child from any possible danger if it is within his or her powers. It is however sad to note that some parents are capable of putting their children in harm’s way. That is the experience of three girls from Kaptembwa, Nakuru town in Nakuru County. When their mother got a job opportunity in Trans Nzoia County, and she went with her two youngest sons and left her three girls with their father. This is expected to be normal because after all, he is also their parent. The girls shared a one-roomed house with their father as their mother tried to make ends meet. Unfortunately, the father decided to do the unthinkable. For three months, from January 2017, the father raped his daughters one after the other. He would pick one girl to have sexual intercourse with her then return her to bed. He would do the same to the second and the third (Oyugi Carolyne).
There are several reasons why people get involved in sexual abuse, and one is Drug and Alcohol-facilitated sexual abuse. The term drug-facilitated or alcohol-facilitated sexual abuses have been coined to describe a subset of sexual abuse. Some of the drugs that could be used to facilitate a sexual abuse, including alcohol, can cause unconsciousness, impair the victim’s memory, or limit their decision-making ability (Negrusz, Juhascik & Gaensslen; Scalzo). In some cases, the substances are given to the victims surreptitiously, which may decrease their ability to identify a dangerous situation or to physically resist the perpetrator. Alcohol is the most common drug used to facilitate sexual abuse. Unlike some other drugs, alcohol is legal, readily available, and socially acceptable (Scalzo) if not socially encouraged in some settings. For example, if someone was using drugs or alcohol voluntarily, a perpetrator will purposely give a larger and stronger amount to the victim, or a person who is drunk or high will be targeted because of his/her vulnerability in that situation. Perpetrators may get drunk or high to justify their actions, or may deliberately get victims drunk or high to facilitate sexual abuse (Frost Lisak “United Educators). In other word alcohol or drugs may be used as an excuse but may be part of the plan.
Technology tools have become woven into the fabric of our daily lives in every aspect, and unfortunately, sexual assault is no exception. Offenders misuse technology to commit, and cover-up sexual assault. Also, the vast amount of information available online can compromise survivors’ privacy. However, the digital trail left by an offender can be used by survivors and those who work with them to hold offenders accountable, survivors can access technology tools that help increase privacy and safety, and online spaces can support survivors healing (National Network to End Domestic Violence, “Technology and Sexual Assault”). Technology is used to facilitate both virtual and face to face sexually based harms which include online sexual harassment, gender- and sexually –based harassment, cyberstalking, and image-based sexual exploitation. In the majority of cases of sexual assault, sex offenders are known to the survivor (Henry N, Powell A Technology-facilitated sexual Violence). Sex offenders manipulate positions of trust to gain access to victims, or to avoid being held accountable for their actions.
There is evidence to suggest that sexual abuse/violence is also a learned behavior in some adults, particularly as regards child sexual abuse. Studies on sexually abused boys have shown that around one in five continues in later life to molest children themselves (Watkins B, Bentovim A “The sexual abuse of male children and adolescents: a review of current research”). Such experiences may lead to a pattern of behavior where the man regularly justifies being violent, denies doing wrong, and has false and unhealthy notions about sexuality. Childhood environments that are physically violent, emotionally unsupportive and characterized by competition for scarce resources have been associated with sexual violence. (Borowsky W, Hogan M, Ireland M “Adolescent sexual aggression: risk and protection factors.” Pediatrics). Sexually aggressive behavior in young men, for instance, has been linked to witnessing family violence and having emotionally distant and uncaring fathers (Borowsky W at al). Men raised in families with strong patriarchal structures are also more likely to become violent, to rape and use sexual coercion against women, as well as to abuse their intimate partners, than men raised in homes that are more egalitarian (Crowell NA, Burgess AW (eds.) Understanding violence against women. Washington, DC, National Academy Press).
Studies of college-aged sexually active men and women show they often conceptualize men as sexual initiators and women as sexual gatekeeper (Struckman-Johnson, David; Struckman-Johnson, Cindy). It has been argued that sexual assault trials, (Bolotnikova, Marina N), as well as rape itself, may be influenced by cultural narratives of men as sexual instigators. Boys are brought up to be sexually aggressive, dominant and conquering, as a way of affirming their masculinity. Catharine MacKinnon argues that men rape “for reasons that they share in common even with those who don’t, namely masculinity and their identification with masculine norms and in particular being the people who initiate sex and being the people who socially experience themselves as being affirmed by aggressive initiation of sexual interaction.”
According to (Check, Malamuth), men are taught to take the initiative and persist in sexual encounters, while women are supposed to set the limits. This classical sexual script is often popularized through television shows, popular films and pornography, which depict the man making a sexual advance and the woman initially resisting, but then finally positively responding by falling in love with him or experiencing orgasm (Cowen, Lee, Levy, and Snyder; Malamuth and Check; Smith; Waggett). The implied message is that men should persist beyond a woman’s protest and women should say “no” even if they desire sex (Muehlenhard and McCoy). The more traditional the society, the likely it is to adherence to this sexual scrip. For this reason, many men do not believe that a woman means “no” when she says “no,” and continue to pressure the woman, and ultimately coerce or force her into sex, consent often becomes confused with submission. In many societies, men who do not act in this traditional masculine way are ostracized by their peers and considered effeminate. Young males are reported to have participated in incidents where girls were coerced into sex and that they did so as a way to prove their masculinity to their friends, or under peer pressure and fear that they would be rejected if they didn’t participate in the assault.
Biblically, at the creation of humanity, God made them male and female and established marriage as the proper environment for sexual activity. However, sexual abuse has existed since men fall into sin. God abhorred these practices even among the nations (Leviticus 20:23). Deuteronomy 22:25-27, the rapist did not only receive the death penalty, but the woman was protected from all recourse. It is hard to believe that the church being the mirror of the society is also involved in sexual abuse. According to a report in 2008, by Baylor University 3,559 people responded to a national random survey determining the prevalence of clergy sexual misconduct with adults. More than 3% of women reported that they had been the object of clergy sexual misconduct at some time in their adult lives. This means that in a congregation of 400 people, seven women will have personally experienced clergy sexual misconduct. 92% of these advances had been made in secret, and 67% of the offenders were married to someone else at the time of the advance. 8% of respondents reported having known about clergy sexual misconduct occurring in a congregation they had attended (Baylor University “Clergy Sexual Misconduct Study”). For instance, in 2018, after much public outcry, Bishop Franco Mulakkal of India was arrested on 21 September by the Kerala Police. The Vatican had just ‘temporarily’ relieved him from his pastoral responsibilities. The nun who complained against Bishop Franco had mentioned to the police that he had repeatedly had unnatural sex with her on multiple occasions between 2014 and 2016 (PTI. “Kerala Catholic bishop arrested over nun’s rape”).
In my own opinion, sexual abuse is on the rise in modern time. This is partly due to current fashion, exposure to the internet containing sexual graphics and videos as well as the decay of social morals. Such events used to happen even in the even during the early days as captured in the Holy Scripture. The Bible condemns the acts and carries harsh punishments for individuals involved in the vices. For instance, in 2 Samuel 13 King David’s daughter, Tamar, was raped by her half-brother Amnon. He aimed to force Tamar to do as he willed. His motivation was to have power and control over Tamar – the same motivation driving sexual abuse. The punishment for the sin of sexual abuse by Amnon was death. Therefore, as the Bible does not support sexual abuse and so should be the society today.
The contributions and achievements that may never come as a result of sexual abuse represent financial costs to society that cannot be measured. These costs include medical services, criminal justice expenses, crisis, and mental health service fees, and the lost contributions of individuals affected by sexual abuse. Schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, campuses, and cultural or religious in the society may feel fear, anger, or disbelief if sexual abuse happens in community and even their relationship with God. Sexual abuse endangers critical societal structures because it creates a climate of violence and fear. Studies find sexual abuse and the related trauma response can disrupt survivors’ employment in several ways, including time off, diminished performance, job loss, and inability to work (Loya).
Each victim reacts to sexual abuse in their unique way. Personal style, culture, and context of their life may affect these reactions. Some keep their feelings inside while others prefer to express their emotions. Some may open up to people about the abuse right away while others may wait for weeks, months, or even years before discussing the assault if they ever choose to do so. It is important to respect each person’s choices and style of coping with this traumatic event. Whether the abuse was attempted or attempted or completed, and regardless of whether it happened recently or many years ago, it may have severe implications to the daily functioning, a wide range of reactions can impact victims. The impacts of sexual abuse include mental and physical health, phycological implications, as well as economic impact on the entire community.
Sexual assault is extremely detrimental to an individual’s mental health, and survivors of rape and other forms of sexual assault often experience some adverse effects that can impair their daily functioning. Effects can be short term while others last much longer. Some symptoms surface later or are triggered unexpectedly. Some common effects of sexual assault include depression, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional regulation issues, post-traumatic stress disorder, low self-esteem, feelings of shame and guilt, psychosomatic symptoms, flashbacks, dissociation, and suicide. People who have experienced sexual assault are more likely to experience issues with interpersonal relationships, have problems at work or school, experience suicidal thoughts, experience depression, and use drugs.
Depression which is the loss of bodily autonomy is one of the known implications of sexual abuse to the victim and is often difficult to cope with. It can create feelings of hopelessness or despair. It may also reduce one’s sense of self-worth. Depressive feelings may be mild and fleeting, or they can be intense and long-lasting. The loss of bodily autonomy can also cause severe anxiety. Survivors may fear the attack could happen again. Some may experience panic attacks. Others may develop agoraphobia and become afraid to leave their homes. In some cases, a survivor may develop a chronic fear of the type of person who harmed them. Someone who was raped by a tall man with blue eyes may instinctively dislike, mistrust, or fear all men who match that description. Survivors may find it challenging to form healthy attachments with others. This is especially true among children who have been abused. Adults who were abused as children may have insecure attachment patterns. They could struggle with intimacy or be too eager to form close attachments.
Participants with a history of sexual abuse victims report higher somatization symptoms and more negative perceptions of overall physical health than participants without such history (Dube, S.R., Anda, R.F., Whitfield, C.L., Brown, D.W., Felitti, V.J., Dong, M. and Giles, W.H.). A meta-analysis of seven population-based samples examining the association between the victims and health perceptions concluded that after controlling for sex, ethnicity, and depression, participants with rape or sexual assault history held more negative attitudes of their overall physical health than participants without abuse histories (Golding, Cooper, & George).
As with any form of sexual violence tears at the fabric of community, well-being, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, campuses, and cultural or religious communities may feel fear, anger, or disbelief if a sexual assault happened in their society. Additionally, there are financial costs to communities. (Miller Cohen & Wiersema B)These costs can include medical and mental health services, legal expenses, lost work time and productivity, theft and damage to property, and the incalculable missing contributions of individuals affected by sexual violence. Although the economic costs of rape and sexual assault are hard to quantify and the data is limited, the existing research indicates that the prices are high. Various research studies have examined the quantifiable value per rape, accounting for such expenses as medical and victim services, loss of productivity, and law enforcement resources. Researchers also generally agree that intangible costs, such as decreased quality of life, though difficult to monetize, are also a necessary part of the cost calculus for sexual assault.
Young generations are said to be the leaders of tomorrow, however, they lack good role models in the church today — usually, the old pass on the leadership skills to the younger generations. In the case of the church, a similar path is usually followed. If the current crop of clergy members practices sexual abuse, there is a considerable chance that those learning from them will also acquire similar traits (“A Crisis that is far from Over: How the Church Respond to Sexual Abuse”). This means that the future of the church is doomed with the possibility of having sexually starved pastors at its helm. The spirit of Jezebel rues one to think that practicing adultery and other forms of sexual abuse is not against the will of God when in reality, the practice is central to the expectations of the Bible. This, therefore, means that some of the exercises we witness today such as some pastors cordoning improper dressing among the women among other practices may indicate the presence of the spirit of immorality in churches. If this trend continues, the church’s culture will slowly change into one that freely encourages and allows sex abuse to take roots and grow. What the young leaders are learning today will be reflected in the future which may eventually spell the end of the church (“A Crisis that is far from Over: How the Church Respond to Sexual Abuse”).
In conclusion, sexual abuse is one of several major types of non-volitional sexual behavior. Like rape, forced sex, sex trafficking, and violence against people with nonconventional sexual identities, Sexual abuse involves behaviors that violate a person’s right to choose when and with whom to have sex and what sexual behaviors to engage in (Kalmuss). Survivors of sexual assault often do not report their experiences due to an understandable fear of being blamed or being accused of lying. The process of notifying any form of sexual assault and pressing charges is extraordinarily lengthy and challenging and can re-traumatize the individual and cause feelings of shame, guilt, low self-esteem, and other negative emotions and symptoms. It is so important for people to speak up and stand up for what is right despite the pressure of institutions of oppression that try and keep people quiet and keep incidents of rape and sexual assault hidden and perpetrators unpunished. Women, elderly, people with disabilities and children are typically manipulated and taken advantage of in cases of sexual abuse apart from their own choice and volition – often by people they know and trust (Crowell at al). This only serves to accentuate the effects of betrayal trauma. In our society, today, sexually abused victims are exposed to strenuous work, overburdened and exposed to dangers of various kinds, in the streets in the house and are sometimes denied adequate food, education, and medical care. The worst, of all, is that some of them are denied their night sleep because they engage in hard labor till very late at night. Because of this, e.g., the children tend to sleep in school even when classes are going on. In the end, such children tend to fail their classes and are called names like a blockhead, dunce, idiot, and so on even when they are not directly responsible for their failures (Dube at al). Educators who teach children should know that some absence pictures should not be brought into the classroom because; they are likely to increase the immoral life of students. The climate of society in terms of sexual assault and violence needs to change for rates of sexual assault to decrease and for people to feel safe and supported. For the community to -improve and justice to be gained, everyone must work together to advocate, raise awareness, and speak up regarding these issues that affect such a large percentage of the population (Paulk L. “Sexual Assault in the LGBT Community).
Work Cited
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