READERS
SPEAKOUT
How the intimiate partner of a person
raped copes
From: Leon Sent: Sunday, February 18 & May 06, 2007 10:17 PM Subject: Re: re info
I am a student doing my phd-at UCT Dept
Nursing
Topic==The experiences and coping strategies of an intemate partner of a
woman who was sexually assaulted within six months following the
rape.=phenomenological study-Unit of analysis=intimate partner of rape
victim-
The reason is although the victim get little/poor support-the fact is
they get some help.Nobody think how is the partner feeling after his/her
partner was raped by a stranger,how does it affect their relationship
etc.Do you perhaps know of any previous studies done on this topic/in
this field?,or where can I get more info on this topic?A search on the
web up till now was'nt very much of a help.
1 should the rape victim also give consent that her intimate partner may
disclose info to the researcher(me).?The reason for asking this is what
will happen if the victim found out that her partner talk re their
relationship with a researcher-can it not break their trust towards each
other,how will it affected their relationship-in which there is allready
tension after the rape event,
2 According to your knowledge,how do you think which route should I
follow to recruite participants for a study of this nature?-it will also
depend on what do you think of question one.
Iwill appreciate it if you can give me advice.
SpeakOut!
Many of us consider how the partner of a rape survivor (not victim pls) feels. The last research I can recall was by a student at RAU, who did quite extensive work. I suggest you contact them for her study.
We don't see it as breaking trust if
the partner discusses the impact on him, he is after all discussing his
feelings, for him not to be able to do that would remove his rights to
his feelings. It is an absurd situation.
Obviously once he agrees to discuss it is up to him to reveal what he
wants about her experience and her feelings, obviously he will cope as
well as she does or does not so that will form part of it. Discretion is
his responsibility. However, too, I am writing this on the assumption
that all will be heterosexual, which of course, all are not, but
nonetheless the criteria remains the same it is up to the individual.
You are giving yourself a very narrow scope of partners only 6 months
later, you will find it difficult to recruit with such a narrow time
frame and you are also making the assumption that there is a fair amount
of coping from both sides within 6 months - it is a suggestion that does
not understand the devastating consequences of rape. Your study will be
far better way more nuanced with far more sensible suggestions for
coping if you look at a two year period and even longer after rape
because both parties by that time have some perspective, at 6 month
neither has much perspective and rage and confusion are still high and
few are very coherent. We speak as rape survivors, partners of those who
have been raped and too as people who have worked and written and
researched in this field more a decade.
Our problem is with your time frame, we doubt it will produce research
of much help.
Our second problem and it is a major problem is you referring to a rape
survivor as a "victim" - that is seriously discriminatory and offensive
language and one that ensures those who are raped receive sub-optimal
help from care providers. Unless the person is raped is dead, they are a
survivor, not a victim. The language you use is critical because it has
a lot to do with how we cope afterwards.