When a person is raped, they experience many psychological effects, this is as a result of the unwanted sexual imposition. Apart of the psychological effects that was discussed in the article titles the “The Psychological Effects of Rape" there are other effects that impacts the victim. Such effects lends to a very unhealthy unspoken relationship between the victim and the predator.
Over time, this relationship evolves into one of fear on behalf of the victim and subtle aggression on behalf of the predator. This is the type of relationship that develops between the victim who chooses to hide the shame they feel and in the process avoid the societal stigma that is associated with having such heinous defilement imposed upon them.
Most people, who have not been blighted and has suffered the unfortunate experience of being sexually victimized, may not be able to comprehend the chemistry that exists between these two individual (the victim and the rapist). However; because our understanding does not allow us the ability to comprehend this relationship as well as the psychological power the perpetrator has over his subject, in no way mean that such relationships does not exist. In some cases the victim and the aggressor are unaware of the development of a psychological pattern that impacts their behaviors and emotions especially when there is a confrontation of any type (a meeting of the eyes, an encounter on the streets at a function etc). This also includes the awkwardness that occurs when they are forced to interact.
It is important to note that any time a victim of rape or any form of sexual abuse; becomes so afraid of the stigma that is associated with rape and because of their fear’ they cause their predator to escape the long arms of the law and by extension the justice system; they not only deny the system to work on their behalf, they encourage the perpetrator to create new victims, put themselves at a grate long term disadvantage and they deprived themselves of the opportunity of living as normal a life they could ever hope to live under the circumstances.
The predator will become bolder in his demeanor while the victims wither away on the inside. The victims are then forced to spend awaken days planning to avoid a confrontation with their rapist and finding new creative way of ensuring that their secret is kept secure.
In most cases, victims of rape, who chose to remain silence about being raped are often raped again either by the same person or another rapist. You may not know that these sexual predators have developed the predator’s instinct and thus are capable of identifying and isolating easy victims knowing who it is safe to impose upon etc.
As time passes, the victim may even stand up, in the defense of their abuser. This may be done in the hopes that their victimization will not make public; they will deny the inhumane and hideous treatment their predator inflicted on them, and in some cases they will aggressively denounce any victim of their predator who found the strength and courage to stand up and take action against such an individual for sexual the crimes that was committed against them.
In the case of a young person, who were raped and sexually abuse especially if such was done over a prolong period of time; in such cases, as time elapses, the victim becomes more and more like a slave, and very often complying to the sexual pleasures of his/her victimizer who sways a manipulative, psychological control over them. In some cases this unhealthy and unlawful sexual imposition may have been the first and only sexual encounter the person may have ever known and as a result; this unhealthy and unlawful sexual relation becomes normal to the victim. The victim may become entrapped in vicious sexual practices and thus passing down the victim’s personality to their children; creating the environment for their children too become victims of such abuse and or rape.
I must mentioned here, that approximately seventy five percent of the person who were raped were born of/to and were socialized by a dominant parents who were themselves were silent victims (a person who were raped and kept their rape a secret).
It is a common fact that when silent victims of rape or sexual abused are involved or induced to participate in conversation that reflects or portrays their abuser negatively, the victim will often shy away from such conversation and avoid anyone that is critical of the person that has or is praying on them. This is so for fear that the aggressor may discover; the victim were disloyal, thus forcing him to reveal the embarrassing secret they both share; thus exposing the victim, to the shame they spend most of their time; trying to avoid.
The unfortunate things about the victims are: he or she always see his or her self as the victim and therefore fail to see the leverage they hold over the predator. In a community and civilization where, there are laws that are put in place to protect the victim; this give the victims of rape and other sexual crimes much power; unfortunately their fear whether real of perceived hampers them from understand the power they have. The victims of rape who were brave enough to come forward and ensure their predator were exposed and face the justice system actually took back their life and their independence form the predator. These people even without counseling will be/are awarded the opportunity to live as normal a life that is possible under the circumstances. it must be understood, there is no removing the scars of rape but the wounds that were created do not pain as much as they use to.
In order to avoid exposure, the victim try to please his/her sexual exploiter, he or she will try very hard not to anger their sexual predator, and in most case they feel safer when they are isolated. We have the unfortunate story of Jaycee Lee Dugard; who was abducted when she was 11 years old and remained the sexual prisoner of her abductor: Philip Craig Garrido and his wife Nancy, who kept that child hostage for eighteen years even causing her to bear him two children. In the mind of this child, this sexual encounter was the only sexual experience she had ever known and as it was done for an extended period of time, this sick exchange became normal to her.
Unfortunately; in this society that we all love so dearly, we have many victims of rape and sexual abuse who are so afraid of the stigma of rape; and in turn, they are afraid to do anything to upset their rapist or sexual abuser, they do not have an understanding of the power they possess, the power to confront their aggressor before the court of law and see them locked away for a long time and in the process break the victim’s cycle and avoid passing the victim mentality, personality and behavior unto their children.
If you are a victim of rape or sexual abuse, speak up and take back the power your predator had taken from you. Yes you I am speaking to you.
