Marital Rape Marital rape is a form of domestic violence. It makes no difference if the person who rapes you is your spouse. Rape by a spouse is still rape and it is illegal. Researchers believe that marital rape does as much, if not more, traumatic damage to the victim than rape by a stranger. While any case of rape is traumatic, when the perpetrator is a trusted spouse, the effects of the rape go very deep. When rape caused by a spouse, the violation goes beyond a physical and sexual violation. It makes the victim question her own sense of judgment and value as a lovable individual. Many women who are the victims of marital rape are raped repeatedly by their spouse. This leaves them to question if they have the right to report the rape, as it may appear that they condoned the rape, or that is was a part of sexual play. Defining Marital Rape It is sometimes difficult for a woman to define what takes place in her marital bed as rape. She may feel that since the rape is taking place by someone with whom she genuinely loves and interacts with on a daily basis, she may question whether it is truly rape. However, if a woman is being forced by her husband, manipulated or coerced into sex acts that she is not comfortable with, that is marital rape. Marital Rape Can Occur in Many Different Forms
If you are a victim of domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. They will direct you to places in your area where you can seek help.
|
| ||||||
|
Hot Topics: Mama is giving away Fruit Trees and Vegetable Plants! Mama is giving away Free Re-usable Tote Bags Can you tell your husband to stop sleeping with my wife? Brenda Tells All: Advice Column Personal Story: Memories of my battle with eating disorders Mama wants to help: Food Bank programs and shelter assistance Lucy Goes Green: Burnin' with eco-friendly love | |||||||
|
Information obtained from MamasHealth.com should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition.
Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms
of Use. ©2000 - 2009 MamasHealth, Inc.. All rights reserved | |||||||