Letter: Sexual violence has long-term detrimental effects

Sexual violence is a significant public-health problem. Nearly one in five women and one in 71 men in the United States have been raped; 10 percent of high school students report being “forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to.” The rate of forcible rape in South Carolina has exceeded the national average since 1983.

The impact of sexual violence is devastating to the individual, the family and the community and contributes to all of our social problems. Survivors often experience anxiety, feelings of self-blame and guilt, chronic diseases, eating disorders, high-risk sexual behaviors, unhealthy relationships and poor education and employment outcomes. Victims are three times more likely to suffer from depression, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol and 26 times more likely to abuse drugs. Seventy percent of teen moms report a history of sexual abuse. More than 50 percent of female inmates report being sexually abused. In addition, rape is the most expensive of all crimes to its victims and the community.

Survivors of sexual violence can heal with crisis intervention and trauma-focused counseling, whether the abuse was yesterday or 30 years ago. We can create communities that embrace survivors and hold perpetrators accountable through training for law enforcement, prosecutors and direct-service providers. And we can educate our children not to tolerate a rape culture.

Prevention education confronts the root causes of sexual and interpersonal violence: the objectification of women and girls, victim blaming, narrow definitions of masculinity and the widely accepted belief that violence is normal. We must help youth discuss gender stereotypes and media influences, boundary setting, effective communication, healthy relationships, teen dating violence, sexual harassment, stalking, sexual assault, substance-facilitated sexual assault and bystander intervention.

Ultimately, healthy survivors, trained responders and prevention education will end sexual violence and its social and economic consequences. It’s a problem that is bigger than any one of us, but together we can eliminate sexual violence. I will be part of the solution. Will you?

Learn about our services for survivors or how to bring the youth violence prevention program to your child’s school, at stsm.org or (803) 790-8208.

Executive Director

Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands

Columbia

This story was originally published May 1, 2015 at 5:36 AM.