Rape

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Rape is having sexual intercourse with a person who does not want to, or is unable to give their consent. The person who rapes is called the rapist. The rapist may use force, threats of violence, or drugs. Rape is a form of sexual assault. In most countries, rape (and other sexual assaults) is a crime punished harshly.

Contents 1 Inability to consent 1.1 Too young 1.2 Physically unable 1.3 Unfit to consent 2 Medical emergency information 3 References 4 Other websites

[change] Inability to consent

[change] Too young

• In many countries there is a concept called age of consent. People below that age are unable to give their permission when it comes to sex, because they are thought to not yet be fully aware of the results of having sexual intercourse. They are therefore protected by law.
• Sometimes there is another age barrier to protect them; between the age of consent, and this barrier they may only have sex with people of roughly their own age.

[change] Physically unable

• The people whose consent is still needed may be under the influence of drugs. They may feel dizzy, but they may also be unconscious; in any case, they are unable to consent.

[change] Unfit to consent

• Because of different reasons (mental illness, being the most common one), the people (above the age of consent), can not see the consequences of their actions; they may not give what is called informed consent. In that case, the person has been declared unfit to give this consent.

[change] Medical emergency information

According to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in the United States, rape is a medical emergency. Medical personnel and police strongly recommend that victim calls for help. They should also report the rape. By seeking medical help immediately, the victim can get treatment for injuries and diseases. These may be a life threatening. Getting immediate help can also preserve evidence. Many people recommend that the victim should not bathe or clean themselves before they get examined. This way the medical examination is not delayed, and evidence may be better preserved.

Physical injuries such as gynecologic, rectal or internal hemorrhage may have resulted. Additionally, emergency contraception and preventative treatment against sexually transmitted diseases may be required, in particular prophylactic treatments to prevent HIV infection. In many locations, emergency medical technicians, emergency room nurses and doctors are trained to help rape victims. Some emergency rooms have rape kits which are used to collect evidence.

AIDS prophylaxis is possible within 48 hours, but is not always deemed appropriate, given:

• the extremely small chance of transmission in many cases (0.1 - 0.3%, or between 1 in 333 and 1 in 1000);
• the lack of certainty of any effective results (it reduces, rather than removes the risk); and
• the often severe side effects of drugs required.

This would usually be a clinical decision based upon circumstances. ^[1]

[change] References

1. ↑ Is HIV Treatment Practical after Exposure? - The degree of risk from exposure is among factors in determining whether treatment should be available., Network Volume 21, Number 1 (2001).

[change] Other websites

• International Rape Crisis Hotlines The is a list of International Rape Crisis Hotlines from Rape Crisis Information
• University of California, Santa Barbara's SexInfo This article discusses different types of rape including date rape, gang rape, marital rape, prison rape, acquaintance rape, and wartime rape.
• Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network RAINN is the largest anti-sexual assault organization.