Immediate reactions after a rape may vary. Some rape survivors remain controlled, numb, in shock, denial disbelief. They present a flat affect, quiet, reserved, and have difficulties expressing themselves. Other rape survivors respond quite differently - being very expressive and verbalising feelings of sadness or anger. They may appear distraught or anxious and may even express rage or hostility against the medical staff attempting to care for them.

 Various factors may aid or inhibit the survivors ability to resolve the issues associated by the rape. Positive feelings of self-esteem, good support systems, previous success in dealing with crisis and economic security all enhance the ability to heal. Survivors who can minimise, (deal with one small segment of the problem at a time ) often find success. Certainly survivors moved to action gain confidence as they implement decisions. But survivors who suffer with chronic stress, lack of support systems and prior victimisation struggle less successfully to resolve their issues. Negative self-esteem often hinders their progress and paralyse their efforts. These victims often use maladaptive methods to deal with their stress. These factors hamper their ability to resolve the issues of the rape and move beyond it.

 Rape victims can suffer a significant degree of physical and emotional trauma during the rape, immediately following the rape and over a considerable time period after the rape. A study of rape victims has identified a three-stage process, or syndrome, that occurs as a result of forcible rape or attempted forcible rape. This syndrome is an acute stress reaction to a life-threatening situation that can last from two years to a lifetime. It is also often known as rape trauma syndrome or rape related post traumatic stress disorder (rrptsd).

 The acute phase begins immediately and lasts up to several days after the attack. The survivor feels violated and fearful and may be depressed?even suicidal. The victim struggles with feelings of loss of control and may note changes in appetite, sleep habits or social functions. Survivors may note change in their sexual patterns at this time.

 This stage occurs immediately after the assault. It may last a few days to several weeks. During this stage the victim may:

In the second stage, it seems that survivors begin to resolve their issues. This stage is also called the "flight to health." But denial frequently masks the under lying problems as survivors make an effort to re-establish the routines of their life and bring back some semblance of control. Sometimes, in an effort to feel back in control, rape victims make dramatic changes in lifestyle or environment. They may quit a long-standing job or move to a new location to get a fresh start. They may dramatically change their appearance; cut their hair or perhaps change the colour. None of the changes brings about the security they search for as nightmares and phobias emerge. They work hard to suppress the feelings because dealing with them is so very painful.

During this stage the victim resumes what appears to from the outside her/his "normal" life. Inside, however, there is considerable turmoil which can manifest itself by any of the following behaviours:

The feelings do not go away as easily as before. Their re-surfacing introduces the third stage of the rape trauma syndrome. The client no longer denies the issues; she/he may want to talk about what happened. The client finds themselves more willing to accept counselling and get in touch with the feelings and emotions associated with the rape. Survivors may feel overwhelmed as they attempt to deal with feelings they struggled to suppress since the assault. Often some sensory stimulation triggers memories that call to mind the sexual assault. Suddenly the survivor seems to be re-living the trauma as the rape comes to life again. Nightmares, phobias, depression, reoccurring thoughts and sexual dysfunction monopolise their thoughts. She / he feels anxious to talk about it, to deal with it and is ready to seek therapy and need the support of others who understand their needs, although she / he may not understand why the issues

 During this stage the rape is no longer the central focus in the victim's life. The victim begins to recognise that while she / he will never forget the assault, the pain and memories associated with it are lessening. She / he has accepted the rape as a part of her / his life experience and is choosing to move on from there. Some of the behaviours of the second stage may flare up at times but they do so less frequently and with less intensity. In this fashion the person who has survived has moved from being a " victim" to a "survivor".

 While some survivors move forward and take control of their lives, others continue to suffer and may even develop post traumatic stress disorder as result of the rape. They struggle with reoccurring thoughts about the trauma and find themselves in a state of hyper vigilance; easily startled and always anticipating another attack. Nightmares, flashbacks, and sleep disturbances disrupt their lives. Constant efforts to avoid the memories of trauma literally control their existence. Some rape survivors have post-traumatic stress disorder for years and need continuous counselling and support. Survivors recover in stages. They may start with one stage, go to another, and go back. Each person processes the event in his or her own way. Survivors are not to blame for the crime committed to them by another person. We cannot control the actions of another person.

Statutory rape laws vary by state, with states setting the age of consent differently, as well as using different names to refer to this crime. Many states punish statutory rape under laws addressing sexual assault, rape, unlawful sexual intercourse or carnal knowledge of a child. In many states, statutory rape is a felony only if one of the participants (usually a male) is at least three years older than the other; otherwise, it is a misdemeanor. There are very few federal laws dealing with statutory rape.

A rape conviction can come down to the issue of consent, which is not always clear cut. Your case will be decided by facts that can be established by the government. However, you're also entitled to establish facts in your defense. In fact, that's one of the jobs of your legal team. A seasoned criminal defense attorney understands the process and how to lay out a strong defense. You can speak with an attorney in your area today and obtain a free review of the facts of your case to help you going forward.

No matter what happened, the police will take it very seriously, and there are lots of organisations, like Victim Support, who can help you think about what you can do next.

This happened a long time ago, is there anything I can do?

Some survivors of sexual assault and rape take many years to acknowledge that they’ve been a victim and find it hard to take steps to get help. But it’s never too late. We can find the best person to support you, depending on what you decide you want to do. If you want to report the crime to the police, this is still a possibility. Even if you got support at the time, you can still get more support now, as there may be things that happen which still scare you or worry you.

Can this happen to a man?

Yes, men can be sexually harassed, assaulted or raped. This could happen to gay or straight men, and is not related to your sexuality. You can be sexually assaulted by a male or a female. It’s important to understand that this doesn’t mean you are weak. Often men feel like they should be able to stop it because they are male, however the shock and level of violence or threat of violence means that stopping a sexual assault or rape is extremely difficult. Sexual assault and rape is about the abuse of power. It is never your fault and the police will take it seriously.

There is a lot of information that circulates about sexual violence and the people affected by it. The following myths are common and can impact survivors of assault or abuse, as well as the behavior and effectiveness of friends, family, medical, social service and law enforcement personnel. This sheet will help clarify some of the most common myths.

Myth: Sexual assault is an act of lust and passion that can’t be controlled.
Fact: Sexual assault is about power and control and is not motivated by sexual gratification.[1]

Myth: If a victim of sexual assault does not fight back, they must have thought the assault was not that bad or they wanted it.
Fact: Many survivors experience tonic immobility or a “freeze response” during an assault where they physically cannot move or speak.[2]

Myth: A lot of victims lie about being raped or give false reports.

Fact: Only 2-8% of rapes are falsely reported, the same percentage as for other felonies.[3]

Myth: A person cannot sexually assault their partner or spouse.

Fact: Nearly 1 in 10 women have experienced rape by an intimate partner in their lifetime.[4]

Myth: Sexual assaults most often occur in public or outdoors.

Fact: 55% of rape or sexual assault victimizations occur at or near the victim’s home, and 12% occur at or near the home of a friend, relative, or acquaintance.[5]

Myth: Rape does not happen that often.

Fact: There is an average of 293,066 victims ages 12 or older of rape and sexual assault each year in the U.S. This means 1 sexual assault occurs every 107 seconds.[6]

Myth: People that have been sexually assaulted will be hysterical and crying.

Fact: Everyone responds differently to trauma- some may laugh, some may cry, and others will not show any emotions.[7]

Myth: Men are not victims of sexual violence.

Fact: 1.5% of all men have been raped and 47% of bisexual men have experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime.4

 Myth: Wearing revealing clothing, behaving provocatively, or drinking a lot means the victim was “asking for it”.
Fact: The perpetrator selects the victim- the victim’s behavior or clothing choices do not mean that they are consenting to sexual activity.[8]

Myth: If a parent teaches a child to stay away from strangers they won’t get raped.
Fact: 60% of child sexual abuse cases are perpetrated by someone the child knows outside the family, and 30% are assaulted by family members.[9]

Myth: Being sexually assaulted by someone of the same gender can make a person gay or lesbian.
Fact: The assault is typically not based on the sexual preferences of the victim or rapist, and therefore does not necessarily change the victim’s sexual orientation.[10]

Myth: People with disabilities are at low risk for sexual assault.
Fact: People with disabilities are victims of sexual assault twice as much as people without disabilities.6

Myth: Prostitutes cannot be raped because they are selling sex.
Fact: Prostitutes have the right to give and withhold consent to any sexual activity, and therefore, can be raped just like anyone else.[11]

Myth: Getting help is expensive for survivors of assault.
Fact: Services such as counseling and advocacy are offered for free or at a low cost by sexual assault service providers.[12]

Myth: There is nothing we can do to prevent sexual violence.
Fact: There are many ways you can help prevent sexual violence including intervening as a bystander to protect someone who may be at risk.[13]

What is it called when a parent kills a child?

Filicide is the deliberate act of a parent murdering their own child. The word filicide derives from the Latin words filius meaning "son" or filia meaning daughter, and the suffix -cide meaning to kill, murder, or cause death.

Canadian woman killed her child following a bitter divorce to 'get back at' girl's father

A jury heard how she said she was taking the child stargazing following a bitter divorce from the girl’s father in which he won full custody. She then drove Amber to a remote Alberta location 60 miles north of Calgary, drugged her with sleeping pills and set fire to her car with her daughter inside.

Mr Lucius read a victim impact statement at that hearing saying he would never forgive Coward for the pain she has caused.

Fighting back tears, he said: “Since the moment Amber was born, she was the light of my life.

“She was energetic, talkative and full of joy. I will never get to watch my daughter grow up, but I know she would have done great in life.

“No sentence will do justice for what has happened to Amber. As a father, I have had to bury my child and nothing will bring her back. I can only hope that other children are not being used as bargaining chips in a divorce or used to hurt the other parent.

“Amber was my life and I will miss her every day until my end. I will never forget her.”

http://www.webmd.com/depression/mental-health-warning-signs
Symptoms of mental disorders vary depending on the type and severity of the condition. Some general symptoms that may suggest a mental illness include:

In adults
 Confused thinking

• Long-lasting sadness or irritability

• Extremely high and low moods

• Excessive fear, worry, or anxiety

• Social withdrawal

• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits

• Strong feelings of anger

• Delusions or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there)

• Increasing inability to cope with daily problems and activities

• Thoughts of suicide

• Denial of obvious problems

• Many unexplained physical problems

• Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol

• Changes in school performance, falling grades

• Inability to cope with daily problems and activities

• Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits

• Excessive complaints of physical problems

• Defying authority, skipping school, stealing, or damaging property

• Intense fear of gaining weight

• Long-lasting negative mood, often along with poor appetite and thoughts of death

• Frequent outbursts of anger

• Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol

• Withdrawing from friends and activities

 

 

 

• Changes in school performance

• Poor grades despite strong efforts

• Excessive worry or anxiety

• Hyperactivity

• Persistent nightmares

• Persistent disobedience and/or aggressive behavior

• Frequent temper tantrums

• First of all, psychiatrists don't use the term "insane," any more. You won't find it in the DSM V, the current version of psychiatrists agreement about what counts as a mental illness or disorder.

 

One theory about what causes folks to get mental illnesses and disorders is that they have a genetic predisposition towards it. At some point in life, stresses conspire to activate those genes, and the illness comes into effect. 

It seems that the chemistry of the brain changes under the influence of genes and stress. Common stresses include violence, abuse, lack of love, lack of attention, and so on. There are thousands of different ways that each other these stresses can be administered and the minds of people who are predisposed to it, will start causing those people to act in ways that most people think is aberrant. 

This last point leads to the social component of mental disorders. We identify people as disordered when their behavior deviates from what is considered normal by too much. Different societies have different levels of tolerance for deviance from the norm. My point is that the level of deviance required to determine that someone is mentally ill varies over time as cultural tolerance ebbs and flows.