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Take Control of your Teenager | No Thanks |
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| Psychological Effects of Teen Rape and Abortion |
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Psychological effects of rape Both rape and abortion are serious issues that can affect a teen in a number of ways. Not only are the physical effects of these issues of dire concern but so are their psychological effects as well. Rape A psychological effect associated with rape is the development of a form of post-traumatic stress disorder also known as Rape trauma syndrome. It is a psychosomatic response to rape which engages feelings of shame and shock. Because of the difficulty involved in recovering from the emotional impact brought upon the victim by the act of rape, many women are prone to this type of anxiety disorder. Rape trauma syndrome can be distinguished by a number of characteristics. The victim may experience recurring nightmares in the form of flashbacks of the rape, depression, nervousness, social withdrawal, and emotional numbness. Like other forms of post-traumatic stress disorder, it may be treated with antidepressants and psychotherapy. Abortion Teenagers who turn to abortion as the answer to any pregnancy stemming from rape have not just physical effects to deal with but mental effects as well. Abortion on the other hand has its own share of mental health risks. Studies have shown that post-abortion patients have been afflicted with sleep disturbances, recurring feelings of regret, anxiety disorders, and in turn have been prescribed psychotropic medicine. At a high risk for psychiatric treatment are those women who have had abortions. This rate may increase with age (teenagers being more prone), status (separated or divorced), and other conditions. Many post-aborted patients resort to repression as a mechanism for coping with the ordeal. Similarly, major studies conducted randomly have also connected post-abortion patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. And about half of the patients exhibited almost all of the symptoms of the disorder. Heightened levels of stress and particular avoidance behavior were related to the experience of abortion. Akin to rape victims, the post-traumatic stress disorder in cases of post-abortion patients stems from a traumatic experience which overpowers one’s defense mechanisms and leads to intense fears, loss of control, etc. The trauma of the experience is actually aggravated when threats of sexual violation and physical injury are present. A disconnection of mental functions may result in the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder in which victims may experience varying degrees of intense emotions and memories of the experience. Wherein the stressor causing the post-trauma stress disorder is abortion, it is diagnosed as Post-Abortion Syndrome. The link of rape and abortion The perception of the terminated pregnancy as the killing of one’s own child in the patient’s mind may still exist despite convincing reasons for the abortion. Feelings of guilt, fear, anxiety, and pain linked to the course of action, further heighten the negative perception. Patients have likened abortion with rape. Some have described the pain as an invasion of the self which may be compared to rape. In cases of women with a history of sexual assault, researchers have found that greater distress may be experienced throughout and following an abortion precisely due to associations between both experiences. In cases of rape, the rate of pregnancy is actually very rare. This is due to several factors which may affect conception. The victim is in immense emotional shock and her body in turn is affected. Statistics show that the rate of miscarriage is higher in these circumstances. A major factor contributing to the rare occurrence of conception in cases of rape is psychological trauma. Stress has been known to alter bodily functions, the menstrual cycle included. And in order for a woman to conceive a complex blend of hormones must be formed. The production of these certain hormones is easily affected by emotions, in which of course the rape itself factors in greatly. Hence, the chances of actual conception—ovulation, fertilization, implantation—for the rape victim are considerably lowered. In addition, it is important to consider that pregnancy may be avoided in cases of rape if the victim seeks medical assistance and has the semen taken from the uterus. It has been argued that types of “treatment” for rape are abortive, but in actuality, when a woman is raped and in some cases immediately treated with female hormone medication, even if the assailant’s sperm were still alive in her body, the medication given may prevent her ovulation (if it has not yet occurred) and she would not get pregnant. This would be an action of temporary sterilization and would be considered contraceptive, not abortive. One can note how abortion itself may be physiologically avoided. But in circumstances where pregnancy stemming from rape is a given and abortion is sought out as the answer, the development of Post-Abortion Syndrome atop the Rape trauma Syndrome the victim may already be experiencing has been clearly observed. A factor in the development of Post-Abortion Syndrome may be the biological fact that her own unborn child is killed with her decision to abort. This biological reality stands even through the circumstances of rape which passed. And the victim’s maternal instincts may in turn leave her increasingly aware of this reality. |
