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Reporting rape : women's experiences with the police, doctors and support agencies Jordan, Jan

By: Jordan, Jan.
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookPublisher: Wellington, NZ Victoria University of Wellington Institute of Criminology 1998Description: 97 p.ISBN: 0475121082.Subject(s): HEALTH | INTERVENTION | JUSTICE | RAPE | SEX OFFENDERS | SOCIAL SERVICES | TREATMENT | VICTIMS | WOMEN | PREVENTION | SEXUAL VIOLENCESummary: This report discusses the findings of a study undertaken by the author to detail the experiences of female rape victims with police, doctors and counsellors. The study involved qualitative interviews with 48 women who had reported a rape, or who had attempted to report a rape, since 1990. The results of the study were compared to an earlier study completed in 1983, and show that very little has changed in terms of police responses to rape victims. However, there has been an improvement in the experiences with doctors and the medical examination performed after the rape. Support agencies that provide counselling had mixed results, with some women feeling that the services were invaluable and other women feeling that there was a lack of professionalism. Overall, the author recommends that, due to a lack of consistency over all agencies - police, medical and support - there needs to be individuals who are specifically trained to deal with victims of rape, and their varying needs, so that women are not re-victimised and potentially suspend laying a complaint against their attacker.
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This report discusses the findings of a study undertaken by the author to detail the experiences of female rape victims with police, doctors and counsellors. The study involved qualitative interviews with 48 women who had reported a rape, or who had attempted to report a rape, since 1990. The results of the study were compared to an earlier study completed in 1983, and show that very little has changed in terms of police responses to rape victims. However, there has been an improvement in the experiences with doctors and the medical examination performed after the rape. Support agencies that provide counselling had mixed results, with some women feeling that the services were invaluable and other women feeling that there was a lack of professionalism. Overall, the author recommends that, due to a lack of consistency over all agencies - police, medical and support - there needs to be individuals who are specifically trained to deal with victims of rape, and their varying needs, so that women are not re-victimised and potentially suspend laying a complaint against their attacker.