Opinion : Rape Psychology: Playing the Odds

Rape is a frightening situation, and most women have, at times, felt at least a shred of fear that it could happen to them. Also, many individuals have wondered what they should do if faced with a rapist.

The face the age-old question: Should I resist, hoping to scare off the rapist, or submit, hoping he will leave without killing or maiming me?

Many recent studies have debated this question. These studies have begun to dispute ideas such as Fredericks Storaska’s--that if you scream and struggle you might not be around to try anything else.

Storaska, author of “How to Say No to a Rapist and Survive,” does not actually advocate saying no to a rapist, but suggests playing along with him while waiting for an opportunity to escape. Although a small percentage of rapists might be tricked, to suggest this type of self-defense as a model behavior might be dangerous.

Dr. James Selkin states in his article “The Mind of the Rapist,” that playing along with an assailant to calm his anxiety and then counterattacking with a kick in the genitals may be an invitation to murder.

Also, he states that if a woman responds passively, the intruder has time to check the premises to make sure the victim is alone. This will assure the rapist that he is in a relatively safe place. Once so assured, he has little hesitation about acting out his violent and/or sexual fantasies. If she should suddenly resist or try to hurt him, nothing but his inadequate ego is available to stop him from maiming or murdering her.

Another study, conducted by sociologist Dr. Menachem Amir, author of “Patterns of Forcible Rape,” agrees with Selkin. Amir states that passivity does not guarantee a nonviolent rapist, and the use of self-defense does not guarantee a violent reaction on the part of the rapist. In fact, the opposite might be true, according to one study conducted by the Oregon Crime Reduction Program in 1976. The report said, in part:

“Most (rape) victims resisted in a passive manner by crying, pleading, begging, but to no avail. Passive resistance usually failed to deter the rapist, although a few victims were successful in avoiding rape because of cunning verbal tactics designed to throw the attacker’s attention off balance. Those who resisted forcibly and strenuously were likely not to either be raped or seriously injured.

“In fact, in 80% of the rape attempts, strong resistance was effective in repelling the rapist and thwarting his intentions. Moreover, slightly fewer victims in rape attempts than in committed rapes were injured as a result of resisting their attacker. No doubt the large proportion of successful resisters in rape attempts lends value to the efficacy of self-defense techniques.”

Another report, “Response to rape: Alternative Outcomes,” conducted by the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare, supports the above idea. That study found that although most rape victims tried some form of verbal resistance, talking and crying were associated with completed, rather than attempted rape. Attempts to make oneself seem undesirable, to gain the sympathy of the assailant or to get him to consider his victim as a human being, were generally not useful. This study also agreed with Oregon’s Crime Reduction Report, that if a woman was able to fight, scream, or attempt to flee, she was more likely to escape being raped.

According to a report recently published by the National Coalition on Sexual Assault, for every woman who is assaulted, three women deter or fend off attack.

Over and over, these reports state that self-defense is a key to thwarting a rapist. If the victim is to escape, however, she must react to the assault in an immediate, assertive, and aggressive manner. It is especially imperative that the woman react immediately on becoming frightened or suspicious.

There are no guarantees when faced with a rapist, but the study by HEW found that if the woman does act aggressively at once, she is twice as likely to escape sexual assault than if she responds passively. This study included such self-defense techniques as screaming, running, strong verbal aggression and physical fighting.

Remember: do not allow a rapist time to check out the area to determine whether you are alone, or to remove you to a more isolated place. The best preventive measure is to enroll in one of the self-defense classes that are given at most junior colleges and other educational facilities.

And, don’t forget: if you should ever be faced with the nightmare of possible sexual assault, act immediately, assertively and aggressively!