CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF RAPE AND IT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON THE VICTIM: A CASE STUDY OF OF IBADAN GARAGE IJEBU ODE OGUN STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study: Rape is a sexual assault and criminal offense that is often happening all over the world through forcing a person into a sexual relation against a person’s will or consent (UN report on women, 2012). Rape can take many definitions from physical, psychological, sociological and even from legal aspects of different countries (Lawrence & Van Rensburg 2016). Rape is a human rights issue; social and public health all over the world (WHO, 2014).It is estimated that one in five women are raped in their lifetime as suggested by International statistics (Frazier &Burnett, 2014). Rape is, a very severe crime, as it involves an embarrassing, humiliating and cruel attack of the solitude, self-respect, and person of the survivor. According to (Ross & Katz 2013) Rape is known as an unpredicted and interfering destruction, which on previously impacts on all scope of the survivor’s continuation, and eventually disrupts to some level one's behavior of being in the earth. The abortions, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases are the consequences of rape. The rape survivors may experience psychological and social problems (Buddie & Miller, 2011). The survivor is left with what appears to be a continuous fight to adjust back into society again. The privileges to the self-respect, confidentiality, and honesty of every person are fundamental to the culture of the formation and to any justifiable progress (Lawrence & Van Rensburg, 2016).

There appear to be differences between rape victims and society’s interpretation of the definitions of rape. Many debates concerning those who have been assaulted or raped to be referred as “victims” or as “survivors” have been discussed around the world. The study will refer to individuals who have been raped as survivors. In a national survey conducted in the United States of America, found that 14.8 percent of women over 17 years of age reported having been raped in their lifetime,( with an additional 2.8 percent having experienced attempted rape) while 0.3 percent of the sample had reported having been raped in the previous year (WHO, 2008). In Africa, South Africa is the leading country to report to have one of the highest rates of sexual violence in the world. South Africa in the year 2014found that from the sample of women aged 18 to 49 years 1.3 percentages of women had been forced, physically to have a non-consensual sex (Peterson, Bhana and McKay, 2015).

In Nigeria, as reported in a survey done by the African Network for the prevention and protection against child abuse (October 2014) over the past several years the sexual assault, harassment, violence, and rape has raised. Nigerians have witnessed an enormous increase in rape cases involving men and women of all ages. It reveals that in Nigeria, one in three girls and one in five boys experience at least a case of violent sexual abuse before they reach age 18 (WHO, 2014).

According to the report by the United Nations, 32 percent of Nigerian girls younger than 18 have experienced some form of sexual violence or harassment. That number may even be higher due to a large number of unreported rapes to police because they are ashamed or not expecting fair judgment, fear being blamed and for fear of stigma (WHO, 2014). In Ogun state rape is a serious problem 98 cases of rape reported in 2013-2014 representing 97.9 percent among the 47 Counties (Nigeria Police Force, 2015) and Ijebu Ode was leading (98 cases) with the reported rape cases among other LGAs in Ogun state.

In recent past, Ijebu Ode has witnessed various rape cases; men of all ages between 35 to 60 years defile even children of 3 years as there are misconceptions among people with HIV that they will be cured once they sleep with girls who are virgins. These men end up silently raping young girls and infecting them with HIV and this abuse might continue for long before they are realized and reported to the police. This is happening so often that people getting used to of this culture of rape. Cases of rape are not usually reported for fear of family isolated by others especially if it is a close relative or neighbor. The survivors of rape are left with psychosocial effects such as low self-esteem, insomnia, panic attack and post-traumatic stress disorders. The survivors of rape may suffer isolation, be disowned by friends and family.

In Nigeria, research was done on remedy against the barbarity of rape in rural areas (Murrey, 2009) found out many of the survivors had long depression and considered suicide, as they could not bear what they were going through. In South Africa were paying attention to understanding and preventing rape and perceptions of police officers (Thandi, 2005). While others studies concentrated on perpetrators and their motive for raping. The lack of the paucity of data describing the causes and extent of the psychosocial effects of rape in Ogun state had contributed to its lack of interventions measure by the policy makers and stakeholders. There is a need for this study on the psychosocial effects of rape.

 

​​​​​​​Statement of the Problem

A rape experience constitutes a serious infringement on a person’s self. Research consistently showing strong associations between rape and poor mental health, among them; anxiety, depression, helplessness, and at times posttraumatic stress disorder alongside myriad physical health problems. For children, sexual molestation has far reaching effects on a child’s attachment and bonding, emotional regulation, and brain development among other conditions.

Ogun state has one of the highest reported cases of rape in Nigeria (Nigeria Police Force, 2015). The prevalence of rape among residents of Ijebu Ode though well acknowledged has not been given priority in terms of addressing the problem in terms of psychosocial support for survivors of rape. Meager resources have been channeled in that area despite the serious long term effects of rape on this population. There is also paucity of literature on the subject focusing on Ijebu Ode despite its prevalence it is against this background that the study was conducted.

​​​​​​​Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the causes and psychosocial effects of rape in Ijebu Ode.

​​​​​​​Objectives of the Study

This study was guided by the following objectives:

1. To identify the causes of rape within Ijebu Ode

2. To identify the prevalent types of rape that occurs within Ijebu Ode.

3. To determine the psychosocial effects of rape on survivors in Ijebu Ode.

4. To identify intervention responses of reducing effects of rape in Ijebu Ode.

​​​​​​​Research Questions

The study sought to answer the following research questions:

1. What are the types of rape that are most prevalent in Ijebu Ode?

2. What are the psychosocial effects of rape to survivors in Ijebu Ode?

3. What are the intervention responses for reducing the effect of rape?

 

​​​​​​​Justification of the Study

Rape is psychological and social problems around the world as it affect any person irrespective of gender. It was important to carry out this study as it helped the medical personnel after knowing the psychosocial effects of rape the survivors goes through to be able manage the effects of rape through intervention responses obtained from this study.

 

​​​​​​​Limitations of the Study

The research was limited by lack of proper number of survivors of rape from the hospital personnel and police officers working in gender based violence unit in Ijebu ode. However, this was partially overcome by reviewing the secondary data existing in hospital records and police records. It was a limitation to get all the survivors of rape respondent for focus group discussion as some were not ready to be seen and share their story especially conducted by a man. It was overcome by use of interview questionnaires individually to collect the information from the survivor respondents by hired female research assistant.

 

​​​​​​​Delimitation of the Study

The study was successful because it collected information from the following sources; The Data with the cases of rape within Ijebu ode, the survivors of rape, personnel working with rape survivors and community members within Ijebu ode.

 

​​​​​​​Significance of the Study

The findings of this study may be used particularly by the gender based violence unit in the department of health, Nigeria Police Force at the national and community leaders in obtaining feedback on the prevalent of rape cases in Ijebu Ode, the psychosocial effects of rape and intervention responses.

The findings of this study, apart from adding to the world of knowledge in the psychosocial effects on rape and intervention responses in Nigeria could provide data for future studies on the effectiveness of counseling for survivors.

 

​​​​​​​Assumptions of the Study

The study was carried out under the following assumptions:

1. All gender based violence unit in Ijebu Ode have personnel with counseling training. This assumption held at the end of the study.

2. Respondents provided honest responses to the questions asked; an assumption that held.

3. Survivors were aware of the psychosocial effects of rape. This assumption held at the end of the study.

Operational definition of Terms

Boda boda refers to motorcycle in Nigeria used to transport people from one place to another.

Carnal knowledge refers to a penile-vaginal penetration

Defilement refers to an act that result in penetration with under age below 18 years

Gender refers to social idea of femininity and masculinity, which is learned

Incest refers to the indecent act or unlawful penetration with a close relative such as siblings, uncles, aunties, half brothers or sisters and parents

Psychosocial refers to the interrelation of social factors and individual thought and behavior

Rape refers to forceful penetration without consent of one’s genitalia into another’s genitalia whether a woman or a man

Sexual assault refers to unlawful penetration of one’s genitalia using any part of the body or Object

Sexual harassment refers to persistent unwanted sexual advances or requests by a person to another

Sexual violence refers to any sexual act or attempt, unwanted sexual advances using threats or physical force by any person regardless of relationship with the survivor Survivor refers to a person, who continues to function after rape or attempted rape, Commonly used by professional counselors