All types of rape create self blame and shame for victims. This statement from the Rape Treatment Center at the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center– sums up the feelings that rape victims express:
“Because of misconceptions about rape, some victims blame themselves, doubt their own judgment, or wonder if they were in some way responsible for the assault. Feelings of guilt and self-blame may be reinforced by the reactions of others, who, because of prevalent myths about rape, may blame the victim or criticize his or her behavior.
You may also feel ashamed. Some victims describe feeling dirty, devalued, and humiliated as a result of a sexual assault. Feelings of shame are often related to the powerlessness and helplessness victims experience during a sexual assault. Shame may also be a reaction to being forced by the assailant to participate in the crime.”
When a person is manipulated or duped in order to sexually exploit them, their sense of being a “cooperator” intensifies. Not only do they grapple with the concept that they cooperated in their own defilement, but others feel the same way towards them. Only when society begins to understand the inclusive definition of rape as:
Non-Consensual Sex
and comprehends that
Deception Vitiates Consent
will victims and their support groups stop heaping the blame and shame that results from sexual assault by fraud.