Gumiwang Tri Anugrah

Abstract What If I Were a Government or Society

Gumiwang Tri Anugrah

Sexual violence has been one of the issues that always prompts a heated argument between those who believe that the fault goes all for the doer and those who will not think twice to point their finger at the victim. It has also been a common fact and understanding that sexual violence has increased these past years instead of decreasing. Many researchers have studied sexual violence to figure out what we can do as a society to help those who could not dodge the bullet and hence suffer from the post-traumatic event. This essay highlights why we should give all of our attention and empathy towards the victims and not the

perpetrator.

Keywords: Sexual Violence; Victims; Empathy.

Definition of Sexual Violence

When an individual or a group forces or manipulates someone else into their desired sexual activity without receiving any consent, it can be categorized as sexual violence.11 When addressing sexual violence, we cannot exclude one gender and blame them. However, the outcome of the research done by the United States Department of Justice showed that the percentage of female victims is about 91% and 9% for male victims.12 One of the most commonly used defenses by the perpetrator in the court is that they claim the victim already given their consent in such a way, and this kind of reason can save them primarily when they used to be tied together in any relationship or when the victim is intoxicated. Regardless, we should not let perpetrators go free without facing a fair trial due to the reason that consent should be given straight, explicit, and they are under no fear or influence by a person or intoxicated things.13

11 Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G., Lewis I.A., & Smith, C. Sexual abuse in a national survey of adult men and women: Prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors. Child Abuse & Neglect, 14, (1990): 19-28. 12 U.S. Department of Justice Violence Against Women Report," 2002. 13 -Sexual Violence Feminism and Psychology 24, no. 3 (2014): 373 89.

Victims Struggle

Fighting for justice as a victim of sexual violence can be challenging because sometimes the court starts questioning their credibility instead of reassuring the victim. For example, when their demeanor fits what society labeled as 'promiscuous,' the court tends not to take the case as seriously as the others.14 Another reason the court did not consider the case is because when the victim did

not disclose everything that happened on the day of the incident, they will conclude or suspect that the victim did not tell the truth.15 We should bear in mind that it is better to trust possible victims rather than believe potential perpetrators because they already suffered enough burden by the constant reminder on their mind regarding what happened that day; they do not need any hesitation about whether they are telling the truth or not.

Victims also withstand aftermath such as trauma that can take form in the long or short term and physically or psychologically.16 These traumas can be caused by different natures, such as the nature of the assault, how long the violence lasted, and the relationship between the victims and perpetrators.17 If we put ourselves in their shoes, I believe that justice and support are all we want. kinds of actions did not condemn the perpetrators and constitute as victimblaming.

Silent Survivors

For those who were fortunate enough not to ever occur in any sexual violence incident, one thing that will cross their minds when hearing about other

14 R. v. A.G. Supreme Court of Canada. Judgment. Application No. 26924. (13 April 2000). 15 16 Chivers-Wilson, K. A. Sexual Assault and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Review of the Biological, Psychological and Sociological Factors, and Treatments. McGill Journal of Medicine, 9, no 3 (2006): 111-118. 17 Daane Criminal Justice System." Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press. (2005): 113-131

crimes is to report them to law enforcement. The idea of having law enforcement such as police is to give you protection and bring you justice.18 However, sometimes things are not as simple as it seems. The National Crime Victimization Survey in 2005 showed that only 38% of sexual assault was eventually reported to the police.19 There are, of course, reasons behind it. Few of it being; (1) They did not want the perpetrator to go to jail, (2) They have a previous relationship with the perpetrator, (3) and that the police will try to blame them.20 We do not know what is going on in the victim's head that does not want the perpetrator to be put in jail.

The majority of us can agree that people who can do such things and have already proven they did deserve to be put in government surveillance and not just roaming free on the streets. Nevertheless, one thing is for sure, and if I were in their situation, I would deeply appreciate it if I decided to come forward to demand justice; law enforcement has my back. That they will not overlook my suffering just because I do not have a job that they then can deem as 'ideal witness. '21 If we can say whether or not someone is an 'ideal witness,' can we also state whether or not they are 'ideal victims

Conclusions

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the risk of letting perpetrators of sexual violence roam free and why victims need no judgment from others who knows nothing about their sorrow. The victim of sexual violence deserved their portions of justice. However, they also deserved to go at their own pace. We cannot force them to stand in court and relive the worst day of their lives to feel like they are the ones who were put on trial.22 Women, for example, had already faced pressure all of their lives about maintaining their sexual reputation, which makes them feel like they have an obligation to be submissive when someone

18 National Institute of Mental Health, Center for Studies of Crime and Delinquency 1 (1970): 243. 19 Sedgwick JL. Criminal victimization in the United States, 2005: statistical tables (NCJ 215244). BJS Bulletin; December 2006. 20 Ibid. 21 Annals of Family Medicine 15, no. 1 (2017): 77 79. 22 Ibid.

conducts sexual actions towards them.23 They do not need us, the spectators, to put the weight on their shoulders.

23 and Contradictions: A Call for Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at the University of Tennessee 8, no. 1 (2017): 16.

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