Rape Report: Beware the enemy within

Date-rape by close acquaintances makes up 44 percent or nearly half of all cases of rape, said the just-published 2016 Annual Report of the Rape Crisis Society (RCS).

For last year, the nine rape cases reported to the RCS consisted of four acquaintance/date rape, two cases of gang rape, and one case each of stranger rape, gang rape/buggery and marital rape. The report made a disturbing suggestion.

“The decline in the number of reported rape cases seems to have a direct correlation to the increase in the number of murders.

“Survivors are often threatened with physical harm to self and family. Since in many cases they know the rapists, these are not seen as empty threats but as a real possibility.”

The report said marital rape is under-reported, and often only after a domestic violence report is made.

The number of cases of rape listed in the report over the years was 32 in 2012, 21 in 2013, 16 in 2014, 16 in 2015 and nine in 2016.

The report said reported cases of incest/child sexual abuse had fallen from 28 in 2012, 11 in 2013, nine in 2014, nine in 2015 and four in 2016.

Most incidents of rape and child sexual abuse occur at home.

Out of 30 cases of child sexual assault, 15 occurred at the victim’s home and eight at the perpetrator’s home. Likewise of four incest assaults, two occurred at each of the victim’s home and perpetrator’s home. Child sexual abuse also occurred at an abandoned house (two cases), in a car/taxi (one), neighbour’s house (one), relative’s home (one), at the beach (one) and not stated (one.)

“In many cases the perpetrators may be new or visiting partners of the female parent,” the report said. “When children are moved from their home to live with extended families, there is a risk of abuse occurring in that new environment.” The report said that many of the society’s clients who suffer domestic violence also have a history of being victims of child abuse.

“Our quantitative statistics show a direct correlation between child abuse and domestic violence, child abuse and intrapersonal problems, and family problems and sexual trauma experienced prior to adulthood.”

Intrapersonal problems may be psychological, medical or situational.