ABSTRACT
Our society makes the lot of rape victim difficult. Often it is assumed that the rape was the victim's fault or that it makes the victim less worthy as a person. A series of institutions—including law-enforcement agencies, hospitals, and courts—deal with the crime of rape. Studies of the course of the criminal through this institutional maze are numerous, but little scholarly attention has been given to how the victim proceeds through the same maze. Crime statistics show clearly that reported rapes have been on the rise. Rape may cause gynecological damage, venereal disease, and pregnancy, so adequate treatment typically requires doing an internal pelvic examination. Analysis and documentation of the difficulties victims face in the present system can suggest changes one could institute that would promote more adequate help for rape victims. Many groups around the country—including concerned social seientists, clinicians, former victims, attorneys, feminists, and law-enforcement officials—are interested in helping to bring about more humanistic treatment for rape victims.
