SEXUAL ABUSE: SPEAKING OUT AND STANDING UP

ABSTRACT:

These days, there are alarmingly high rates of sexual abuse, and tragically, those rates may
even be greater because many victims are reluctant to come forward and report their assaults.
There is still more to be done to prevent sexual assault, increase awareness, and support
survivors in speaking out, especially in the #MeToo era . Every sexual assault survivor has a
different experience, and each reacts to it very differently. Sadly, there are just too many
reasons why survivors might want to hide their sexual assault. Silencing such a horrifying
event has the danger of causing physical harm as well as a lifetime of mental anguish. Sexual
assault survivors usually encounter a number of challenges and concerns when it comes to
coming out against their attackers. This paper is to find out why victims of sexual assault are
reluctant to come forward and how speaking up may help them move on and recover.

INTRODUCTION:

Regrettably, sexual abuse these days has become so common. In India, the frequency of rape-
related offences has climbed over the past 20 years by 70.7%, from 11.6 per 100,000 women
and girls in 2001 to 19.8 in 2018, according to research by the Public Health Foundation of
India. 67,000 incidents were recorded after the #MeToo movement took off in October 2017.
By November 2017, there were 72000 occurrences. The #MeToo movement has played a
significant role in people coming forward with their stories of sexual assault. Due to present
laws, procedures and policies, women are discouraged from speaking about sexual
harassment. Verbal abuse weakens women and gives them the impression that they are at
fault. Often, women are silent about sexual abuse because they believe that doing so would
help them safeguard themselves.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Speak is a young adult novel that chronicles the life of social outcast Melinda Sordino. It was
a 1999 National Book Award finalist and has won various prizes and accolades. Melinda has
a bad reputation at Merryweather High as a result of calling the police at a party at the end of
the summer. Everyone hates her, even her erstwhile closest friends. After Melinda is finally
ready to tell herself and others that she phoned the police that evening because she had been
raped by a famous upperclassman, she regains her self-worth and her ability to speak up for
herself.
The unfortunate reality is that sexual assault may happen to anybody, regardless of age,
colour, or location. It is challenging for anybody to come out and admit they have been the
victim of sexual assault because almost everyone has heard of it yet many others dismiss it as
a non-issue. The major problem in Laurie Halse Anderson's book "Speak" is this. Melinda
Sordino, the main character, discovers that she is unable to bring up the subject of being
raped at the end of the summer and does not confess to anybody the reason she contacted the
police.

It might be simpler to ignore truth than to face it. Repression is a typical coping strategy used
to deal with one's feelings and thoughts after experiencing trauma. However, as a quote from
an unidentified individual once put it, "When something horrible happens, you have three
alternatives. You may let it define you, let it ruin you, or let it make you stronger. Melinda
Sordino learns this lesson personally in the book Speak. Melinda appears throughout the
narrative to be calm on the outside, but she is anything from silent within. Melinda eventually
learns to accept herself and open out to others as the story goes on. Anderson builds
Melinda's character over the course of the novel, showing the reader how unpleasant events
don't have to define a person.

The narrative centres on Melinda's path to recovery and her struggle to overcome her fear
of speaking. Three events in Melinda's life during the course of the novel helped her become
well. One of these things is art class, as well as the instructor who oversees it. David Petrakis,
Melinda's lab partner, is another. And finally, Melinda finds an abandoned janitor's closet and
makes excellent use of it. Melinda needs all of these things to succeed as she battles through
her first year of freshman year.

Our understanding that Melinda would ultimately speak her story aloud doesn't dawn on us
until the very last word of the book. The story's main point of contact is conspicuously absent
from the text, which highlights the subject.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

Does trauma play a part in why victims don't come out? is one of the most often asked topics.
The answer, according to A. Hardy, author of "Does trauma memory have a part in the
experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews?" is yes. "Does trauma
memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews?,".
Trauma can result in "memory fragmentation," which might make it more difficult to move
forward with inquiries since the police won't have the necessary information.
Why did so many famous celebrities who had been sexually attacked wait so long to come
forward? The well-known actress Lili Reinhart used the #MeToo hashtag to share her
experience on social media. According to another actor, she chose not to speak out since
doing so would have required her to "relive one of the saddest periods of her life." To
"control" the victims, the offenders lie and manipulate them. While professing their
innocence, they try to provide the victim support in coping. In order to silence their victims,
criminals like Harvey Weinstein used coping mechanisms. He also used non-disclosure
agreements to silence his victims.

ANALYSIS:

What kind of an effect did the #MeToo movement have? The answer is yes, quite a bit. The
moment the movement was unleashed, it took off. Women who have experienced sexual
assault are more content with themselves globally. In essence, sexual assault has been taught
to women as a natural part of being a woman. Women's advocacy group #MeToo encourages
listening to all perspectives, not just the well-known ones. In fact, more than two-thirds
(65%) of Americans who use social media said they often read posts on the topic. According
to 29% of the group, the main problem is the prominence of what they observe on social
media platforms.

The hashtag has had an outstanding impact because it highlights the ability of women and
survivors of sexual harassment and abuse," claims Kathy Spillar, executive director of
Feminist Majority, a non-profit that fights for women's rights and does policy research.
According to U.S. Today's author Dalvin Brown, "It has given a forum to a topic that was
only casually mentioned at work. People are now able to express themselves thanks to it.
According to the study Gender Inequalities in the Workplace: The Effects of Organizational
Structures, Processes, Practices, and Decision Makers' Sexism, women are often the ones that
suffer sexual assault since they are the less powerful gender in society. In fields including
employment, politics, CEO positions, and heteronormative relationships, men predominately
hold leadership positions. In most cases, women can only report abuse to males, which is
problematic because it is usually men who do the violence. When reporting sexual violence
to males, women often find that they are not taken seriously. Additionally, they believe that
they are dismissed and not taken seriously. Women who wish to report being physically
assaulted to the police but hesitate to do so because they are embarrassed or humiliated to tell
a man about it.

Victimization can occasionally happen to sexual abusers as well. Many scholars have made
an effort to understand what can increase a person's propensity to sexually abuse a child. The
fact that child sex offenders allege to have undergone sexual abuse as youngsters are one
explanation that has been proposed. The belief that there is a victim-to-perpetrator cycle or
that those who have experienced sexual abuse as children would go on to commit a sexual
assault as adults have been influenced by the latter component. Studies on this phenomenon,
however, have largely concentrated on male offenders. Having been sexually attacked as a
child, however, does not seem to be a reason for sexual offence in adulthood. But compared
to adult men in the broader population, sexual assault offenders abuse children more
frequently. According to the elements that raise the likelihood that male child sexual abuse
victims will later conduct sexual assault, those who do so likely had more issues as children
and were not aware of the consequences of their abuse. The guys involved in these situations,
who were mistreated as youngsters and are still abusing people, are unaware that they are in
trouble.

There are several reasons why a victim of sexual assault chooses not to come forward. Here
are a few:

 Shame: Although sexual assault victims are NEVER at fault, they frequently believe
that there is something wrong with them as a result of the assault. People are less
inclined to talk about something with others if they feel ashamed of it.
 Guilt: When someone experiences sexual assault, they may replay the episode in their
minds again in an effort to make sense of what transpired. Victims could place the
responsibility on themselves, which causes them to feel guilty. Similar to shame, it
can be challenging to confess to others when one feels guilty about something.
 Fear: Worry about not being understood, fear of consequence, fear of how people will
view and treat , fear of how the police will act, fear of rejection, fear of being judged.
These are only a few of the several kinds of anxiety that people could face while
considering telling someone what they had through.

SUGGESTIONS:

Sexually abused women can take a few steps to encourage other victims to speak forward.
First, refrain from criticising the victim's choices. Be an attentive and motivating listener.
Sometimes all it takes for a victim to feel better at peace is to chat to someone about what's
on their mind. Give the victim control over what happens by letting them report when they
are ready, for example. Due to their concern that they would be treated differently if people
learn that they are victims, many women find it challenging to speak up. As a supporter, you
might comfort them and help them understand that what other people think is
inconsequential.

Society's members may take a number of everyday actions to reduce the sexual assault of
women. Among other ways, society could become more aware of the impacts of rape. By
educating themselves, individuals have a greater awareness of the seriousness of the sexual
assault. Another step society may take is to be less sympathetic and supportive of rape
victims. People are more willing to go to any lengths to help someone they feel more
empathy for. Finally, gender disparities are a major problem when it comes to reducing
sexual harassment of women. Men commit the great majority of offences. In society, men
frequently hold such opinions, and women don't try to stop them either.

In order to stop the growth of the "rape-supporting mindset," women need to stand up for
themselves.

CONCLUSION:

Ultimately, the existing laws, procedures, and attitudes toward sexual harassment and abuse,
which stifle victims' voices, are detrimental to the well-being of contemporary society. The
ability to speak up in a secure environment is essential for any woman who experiences
sexual assault. Sexual assault and harassment require more societal awareness and activism.

Sexual assault-related emotional and psychological problems may get worse if you keep quiet
about it. As a result of the assault, survivors of sexual assault may struggle with the following
issues on an emotional and physical level. The fact that victim blaming is still prevalent in
today's culture may make it much more difficult for survivors of sexual assault to have the
courage to come forward. It is possible to have feelings and go through experiences after a
sexual assault that has never been felt before. The long-term physical, psychological, and
emotional repercussions are common. However, receiving the necessary support might make
it easier to be more comfortable and secure in speaking up. Even though speaking up against
the offender is never simple, it may be a positive first step in the healing process when ready
to do so.
There is power in speaking out and standing up, making perpetrators answerable for their
heinous and criminal conduct.

REFERENCES:

1. Glenn, Wendy (2010). Laurie Halse Anderson: Speaking in Tongues.

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