Assignment 3: Persuasive Paper Part 1: A Problem Exists
Introduction
Rape date can best be described as a misleading phrase that is utilized in describing the serious social crime that is mainly underreported and misunderstood. For most victims, the rapists usually evoke psychotic stranger images in a lane but in most instances, the victims knew the attackers. Date rape in this context is a rare occurrence that only occurs in isolated circumstances (Levesque, 2011). Factually it is indicated that in more than half of the reported cases the rape victims are aware of their attackers which are represented by 84 percent while 57 percent of the cases happened during dates (Levesque, 2011). However, it is highly surprising than the given statistics that most of the incidents are not generally reported. Several concepts exist in the attempt of trying to offer valuable explanations to the particular phenomenon. For instance, most women may decline the belief that they were raped by their individual friends and ends up convincing themselves that the incidence never occurred. In addition, this results in a confusion following the attack since emotions and memory become mixed up. Based on the social, economic and ethical issues that are raised by date rapist is in the interest of every person that the cases are reported and the offenders put to justice to curb the occurrence.
Based on history rape has always been a shameful matter that results in stigma which turns to self-hate. Women have for a while being required to submit to the sexual needs of their partners without objection (Levesque, 2011). In that, if one claimed to have been raped during a date this would be objected with the argument that it is part of intimate relations. Women in the past have remained silent by attempting to hide the issue to avoid being victimized by the society. However, the tendency has changed. Individuals are equally entitled to sexual autonomy in any given relation. The perception of rape has additionally transformed as it was been perceived as a violent act and contemporary other rape forms have emerged such as marital rape, date rape and others which based on the definitions are practiced by marital partners, friends or those in any relation with (Levesque, 2011).
Regardless of these changes rape is perceived as a violent and offensive act that leads to the legal punishing of the offenders (Perez-Pena, 2015). However, most of these cases are never reported and this leads to the offenders existing in the society as free persons. Based on research it is evident that about 80 percent of sexual assault cases that involves students are never reported and one woman amid four in colleges is date raped while 67 percent of those involving the public are also not reported (Perez-Pena, 2015). However, in a thousand sexual assault cases only eleven of the cases are taken for trial and amid the court trial cases, 7 of the offenders are convicted on felony basis while the rest are punished through incarceration. From history date rape results in negative issues that can be classified as ethical, social, inequality as well as economic issues that affect the general capability of the society.
One of the economic issues that are developed by date rape is lowered productivity. In that, the affected individuals are bound to lose their working motivation of career goals based on the emotional trauma thus resulting in low productivity (Hilgers, 2016). This results in high rate of dependency within most of the families since some are affected to the extent of leaving their jobs which will, in turn, generate poverty (Hilgers, 2016). Self-independency and esteem are lost in the process due to stigma since when the society learns about the offense they begin to visualize the victim differently rather than offering support. For instance, most women will be perceived as the ones that triggered the occurrence based on their dressing which results in stigma.
Date rape as a crime occurs against social norms and ethics. In that, the victims are sexually harassed and forced to engage in sexual acts without their consent (Hilgers, 2016). In most instances, violence is involved which lead to hurting the victims both physically as well as emotionally. Based on societal ethics it is only right to acquire a mutual agreement amid parties before engaging in sex as the lack can be termed as an offense. In addition to the individuals who intoxicate their friends or partners in order to acquire sexual pressure, this is unacceptable socially since it deprives the victims their sexual autonomy (Hilgers, 2016).
An addition date rape social problem is that it results in the isolation and the extraction of victims from the society. Individuals begin to withdraw from any given social relation based on the fear of being offended (Warner, 2012). This results in illnesses such as depression and poor social skills. Date rape can generate undesired pregnancies which deprive persons the right of making sound decisions in regard to their extensive future. In most instances, the victims are denied the opportunity of fulfilling their life goals as they drop pout of schools and jobs and this affects their life experiences, skills and the ability to relate with others (Warner, 2012). The victims are forced to exist with trust issues which imply that they can rarely understand or be understood by others.
In conclusion, it is evident that date rape is a criminal offense that should be treated with the attention it deserves by the public for the wellness of the society. Date rape occurs in the presence of an isolated surrounding where the offender takes advantage of their relation to the victim in justification of his actions. It is evident also that date rape can be avoided via making responsible choices. With more than 84 percent of the rape cases been unreported the offenders normally walk free and this hinders the ability to curb the crime. This is driven by the fact that most of the offenders are well known to the victims and thus not willing to destroy the relations. Date rapes create more trauma to the affected persons as compared to stranger rapes.
References
Hilgers, L. (2016). What One Rape Cost Our Family. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/24/opinion/what-one-rape-cost-our-family.html
Levesque, R. J. R. (2011). Encyclopedia of adolescence. New York: Springer.
Perez-Pena, R. (2015). 1 In 4 Women Experience Sex Assault On Campus. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/us/a-third-of-college-women-experience-unwanted-sexual-contact-study-finds.html
Warner, J. A. (2012). Women and crime: A reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.
