Marked rise in number of sexual assaults reported to hospital team
The number of women telling hospital staff they had been sexually assaulted increased by 50 percent in the course of a year, and more than half the victims were younger than 18.The news comes in statistics released by the Women’s Resource Centre to mark April as Sexual Assault Awareness month.WRC executive director Elaine Williams said the information came from the Sexual Assault Response Team at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.“In 2010, 14 individuals attended the SART room after being sexually assaulted. In 2011, 21 individuals attended the SART room for examination. This represents an increase of 50 percent since the previous year,” she explained.“Of those 21 individuals, 13 of them (around 60 percent) were under eighteen years of age. We believe that this increase in the number of people attending the SART room may be indicative of a greater number of sexual assaults, a greater willingness to report, or a combination of both.“Over half of all incidents of rape go unreported to the police. Of those cases that are reported, very few are prosecuted and even fewer cases result in a conviction.”The news follows statistics released by the police on February 21 indicating the number of sexual assaults they recorded over the same period went down. There were 36 recorded in 2010 compared to 33 in 2011.Ms Williams said for those who have been attacked: “Medical treatment is available from [KEMH], private doctors and the Women’s Clinic. Sexual assault victims are seen at the hospital by the Sexual Assault Response Team. The Women’s Resource Centre, along with the police and a medical team consisting of forensic nurses, make up the SART team. This team is activated whenever a sexual assault is reported. Victims are examined at a special location at the hospital where forensic evidence is gathered and a statement is taken to assist the police in convicting the perpetrator.“Because pregnancy is often a concern for rape victims, the SART room offers the ‘morning-after pill’ or DES. DES, or diethyl stilbestrol, is the most commonly administered form of post-coital contraceptive treatments. It is important to understand that DES is not an abortion pill and only serves to prevent pregnancy, rather than terminate it. Therefore, DES should be taken within 72 hours of the sexual assault in order to be effective.“The Women’s Resource Centre’s role is to provide support to the victim, including arranging for counselling should the victim consent to it. We also work with other agencies to accomplish this, particularly when the victim is a child.”Ms Williams added: “The Women’s Resource Centre is working to increase awareness about sexual assault in the community along with our partners, with the hope that our society will continue to support survivors of sexual assault and hold perpetrators accountable.“Education and awareness empowers potential victims so that they are less vulnerable to attack. It also provides women with the information necessary to heal from the experience of sexual assault. The Women’s Resource Centre also offers counselling services, which can be instrumental to the healing process.”The WRC can be reached between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday on 295-3882. It also has a 24-hour emergency hotline 295-7273.Useful website: www.wrcbermuda.com.
Sexual assault is a violent crime motivated by a desire for power and control, according to Elaine Williams of the Women’s Resource Centre.“Sexual assault is predominately a crime committed against women and children; few adult men are raped outside of institutions,” she said. “Victims are often targeted because the assailant sees them as vulnerable. Women are vulnerable to sexual assault regardless of their appearance, race, class, age and occupation.”She added: “Rapists and sexual abusers come from all levels of educational, socio-economic, professional and ethnic backgrounds. Sexual abusers are often very charming and are often the last people you would suspect as an abuser.“Many sexual abusers have a history of childhood sexual abuse or trauma that they did not receive treatment for. Furthermore, sexual assault is usually premeditated. Through work done with offenders, it has been discovered that most assaults are planned by the assailant. This challenges the idea that rape is an impulsive act, caused by the uncontrollable desire of the offender.“Most sexual assaults occur indoors and many of these are in the home of either the victim or assailant. This dispels the myth that rape mainly occurs in dark alleys and parking lots. If most women are assaulted in the home or by someone they know, this dispels the myth that victims could have avoided being assaulted if they were not out alone at night or in an unsafe area. Overall, ‘stranger rape’ is much less common, although it is often portrayed in the media as the most common form of sexual assault.”Ms Williams said statistics from the United States suggest that nearly 20 percent of women suffer rape or attempted rape at some point in their lives. According to the Ohio Government, one in eight college women are raped, and in 85 percent of those assaults, the woman knew her attacker.
