Essay Sample: The Horrors of Sexual Abuse, Assault, and Harassment

Sexual assault, abuse, and harassment have always been a brutal part of history, affecting millions of people around the world. It is widespread in normal American society, as well as in armed forces like the ARMY and many other workplaces. An abused individual may suffer from feelings of guilt and embarrassment after sexual assault, leading them to hide from their abuse and suffer emotional trauma. Simra Mariam describes how consent is essential in her article, "'No' means 'No': It Really is That Simple When it Comes to Consent.". Rape culture plays an important role in our society today, causing fear in both men and women. Oftentimes, women are blamed for their own sexual assault because they were drunk, or because of what they were wearing. The text “begs” readers to take rape more seriously, and fight against rape culture (Mirian 14). Sexual assault needs to be punished much more harshly than it is, and it should also be a much more prevalent topic in today's society.  As a result of sexual assault and abuse, men and women suffer trauma that is often ignored or downplayed, and abusers are too often let off with a light sentence for the inhumane crimes they commit.

Sexual assault has been seen in society for as long as historians can remember. Wartime was one of the first times that sexual assault was brought to attention and reported more than it usually had. The Japanese army, for instance, enslaved many women during World War II, using rape as a weapon against other countries. This is a disgusting example of sexual assault which took advantage of women in an unimaginable way. One of the first actions taken against sexual assault is the opening of the first rape crisis center in 1970. Thankfully, around this time there was a variety of laws set in place in order to protect Americans from the horrors of sexual assault and abuse, as well as medical protocols set in place in order to help those who reported their assaults. Opening these rape crisis centers was a step in the right direction for bringing attention to a previously silenced topic, but it did not come close to stopping the contemptible crimes being casually committed.

Although females are most commonly seen as victims of sexual assault, it is becoming increasingly more popular for men to struggle with sexual assault as well. RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence network, actively explains that one in six women are sexually assaulted/abused, while one in ten men are sexually assaulted/abused. Another shocking statistic that RAINN explains is that men in college are five times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than young adults who do not attend college (RAINN 21). These appalling statistics not only actively demonstrate that sexual abuse is extremely common, but also that it affects both men and women in the United States as well as around the world. Furthermore, these statistics demonstrate how aspects of sexual abuse are hidden, concealed, and in this case sexualized to place blame on the male gender.

Sexual assault and harassment are becoming more commonly seen in workplaces all around the United States. It can range from unwanted sexual comments to abuse and rape in a workplace. Sexual harassment in the workplace is seen much more in females and can cause unfair disadvantages in their careers. For example, an article published by the Institute for Women's Policy Research explains that “Three in ten women construction workers report experiencing sexual harassment daily or frequently” (Shaw 10). This devastatingly demonstrates that females working in male-dominated fields have a great disadvantage when it comes to being successful because they have to deal with unwanted sexual harassment. Unfortunately, “unemployment is a concern for some women who feel they must leave a job due to sexual harassment,” which is another reason sexual harassment and assault can completely change, or even ruin an individual’s life (Shaw 12). 

Unfortunately, studies show 2 out of 3 incidents of sexual assault go unreported (RAINN 13). An article written by Shara Kaszovitz explains many of the reasons women decide not to report their abuse, and how it can affect them in the future. Shame, sadly, is one of the main reasons why people decide not to report their abuse. Women are very often told that what they wear or how they act can lead to sexual abuse or assault, hence causing them to hold back on reporting their abuse because they feel that what has happened to them was their own fault. Fear, guilt, and uncertainty are three additional reasons why people decide to keep their abuse to themselves and suffer in silence (Kaszovitz 32). In the study, “Why women don’t report sexual assault”, written by R L Binder, the author briefly explains the reason women do not talk about or report their sexual assault. The author explains that only 18% of women’s rapes were reported. In addition to this, the author explains that most women feel embarrassed or guilty after being assaulted, hence why they refrain from reporting their abuse. Life after being sexually abused or assaulted can often be extremely difficult to manage. Once an individual decides to report their abuse, there are many ways that they can seek help, or even attempt to catch an unknown abuser (Binder 14). Although the process of recovery can be difficult, methods to help such as therapy can be a necessary way for someone to start healing from the trauma they have encountered. Therapy can help an individual with unwanted memories or intrusive thoughts, and also help to remove the ideas of guilt and shame that are very often present in an abused individual. Depending on the abuse an individual has dealt with, mental damage may take years to reverse, or may never be fully healed.

The punishment for an abuser when it comes to sexual assault and rape is not nearly as extensive as it should be. When someone is held against their will and raped, the punishment should be extremely severe. Unfortunately, in California, it is common for punishment to only be about two to four years. This is a short time in prison and is not enough time for an abuser to learn from their mistakes. One comparison that can be made when it comes to looking at unfair sexual assault charges is the charges made against a woman when she has an abortion in Texas. This penalty can be up to five years in prison. It is shocking to see that the punishment for holding someone against their will and abusing them is less severe than a woman's right to her own body. Incidentally, there is a likely chance that when a woman is raped she could become pregnant; this would leave a pregnant rape victim with no choice but to have the baby unless she wants to go to prison for more years than her abuser. Many people may argue that the punishment is in fact significant because along with prison time, abusers are also placed on a sex offender list. This is simply untrue in the fact that an abuser can inflict trauma in a person for the rest of their life and the punishment given does not compare to how extensive it should be. 

It is important to analyze incidents of sexual abuse and assault from an individual in order to hear about their experiences and see firsthand how it has affected their lives. In the informational article, “Kaitlyn’s Story” written by RAINN, the author explains how Kaitlyn was sexually assaulted as a minor, and how she grew from the trauma she went through. The author explains that Kaitlyn was assaulted by her coach, and later became pregnant. After enduring such trauma, Kaitlyn grew from her past and now is a coach herself; she expresses her fear that coaches are very often predators to minors in high school or college (RAINN 6). This is a key example that can demonstrate how sexual assault can effectively change a person’s life and even influence their future life decisions.

It is extremely important to start looking for ways to decrease cases of sexual assault and abuse. People can contribute by raising awareness about the topic to make it easier for people to report abuse. The creation of more comprehensive punishments is another important step to minimize the number of cases of sexual assault and abuse. The problem of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment has existed for hundreds of years, and it is time for something to change.