Secondary Victimisation of Rape Survivors: Adding Insult to Injury
Published on: 22 June 2021, 06:31 am
Following a sexual assault, the survivor and her family go through more trauma and humiliation at the hands of social service providers — hostile police, inquisitive court personnel and insensitive hospitals. This secondary victimisation is "victim-blaming" and places the needs of the organisation above the needs of patients. Along with a judgmental society, it can lead to victims feeling various health and mental issues and having suicidal thoughts, according to a study by PADMA BHATE-DEOSTHALI, SANGEETA REGE and SANJIDA ARORA.
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"She is quite scared; she gets scared even if the phone rings. As soon as there is a phone call, she will come and ask me, "Do we have to go to court again?"–Mother of seven-year-old Riya (names changed).
"She still complains of pain in the abdomen (after six years of incident)"–Mother of 12-year-old Megha
"She has stopped going to college and refuses to do any other activity."–Mother of 21-year-old Rita
THESE are instances of the trauma suffered by rape survivors and shared with their family members as part of a study conducted by the Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT). The study is the first of its kind as it systematically delves into the impact of reporting sexual violence on survivors and their families through in-depth interviews with 66 survivors and family members.
Undertaken in 2018, the study reveals the fault lines that have existed for decades with institutional response to sexual violence survivors. CEHAT's study shows that victim-blaming attitudes continue unabated.
Of the 66 respondents, only three decided not to enter the criminal justice system and these were considered decisions, one decided not to proceed after the hostile response of the police and in hospital and two did not go ahead as the perpetrator could not be found.
Most of the 63 survivors faced several obstacles in their quest for legal justice. Only 19 of them had a final court outcome, but the rest were in the process even after 4-7 years after the incident.
Formal Institutions
Survivors told us that surviving sexual violence is gruelling and the entire family suffers at various levels. What emerges is the impact of secondary victimisation that survivors and their families have to cope up with.