Custom Date Rape essay paper sample

There is greater assault on a person than rape, yet it is very controversial in determining what amounts to it. One such controversial form of rape is date rape. This is defined as “as sexual assault that occurs when the victim and the perpetrator are involved in a dating relationship, ranging from the first date to a steady relationship.” (Ward, p. 1).

There are many perceived factors that contribute to date rape. “Those factors include the attitudes and behaviors of the perpetrators and those of society in general.”(Golden 2010:28).  Psychologists observe that “aggressiveness in intimate relationships and a tendency to be overly demanding of partners” are characteristics of many perpetrators, (ibid).

Other causes of date rape are alcohol and rape drugs. Alcohol is the most frequently abused substance in date rapes. It is estimated that more than 50% of date rapes occur in situations where the victim is drunk. Apart from alcohol, many peoples have fallen victim to assailants who instill drugs like Rohypnol, a drug that renders the victim unconscious and leads to total loss of memory for up to twelve hours.

Date rapes have serious effects on the victim. Since the assailant is someone known to the victim, the victim has to face the assailant after the ordeal, leading to constant bitterness. Another effect is trauma and “post traumatic stress disorder, a condition that includes sleeping and eating disorders… withdrawal, and distrust… for many years”(ibid).

There are various precautionary measures one can take to avoid date rape as suggested by Parrot (1999).these include:

• Drink only bottled drinks and open them yourself or watch the person who is opening them;
• Don’t leave any drinks unattended;
• Use the buddy system. Always have a trusted friend with you who can help you to safety should you find yourself passing out from a spiked drink.