Developing Rape Programs and Policies Based on Women's Victimization Experiences: A University/Community Model

Abstract

Data from a 1991 survey of victims of rape on a college campus (N = 50) are presented in an examination of the social & community networks available to women of such attacks. It is found that certain types of rapes often go unreported, & that even those women who sought help quickly often were blamed for their own victimization by the authorities. It is suggested that this blame-the-victim mentality is the most pernicious aspect of social support networks for rape victims. A call is made to better coordinate off- & on-campus support services, establish better tracking mechanisms of rape incidents, & develop more sensitive methods of responding to rape victims. 17 References. D. M. Smith