Psychotherapy with Deaf Clients from Diverse Groups

15 Deaf Survivors of Sexual Assault

320 15 Deaf Survivors of Sexual Assault SHELI BARBER, DOV WILLS, AND MARILYN J. SMITH Every 2 minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 2008). Sexual assault crosses culture, race, gender, sexuality , and income; it does not discriminate, although statistics clearly show that females are more likely to be sexually assaulted than males (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network). This chapter examines the nature of sexual assault and the clinical implications for Deaf adults, Deaf adult survivors of childhood sexual assault, and Deaf child survivors. Much of the material in this chapter is based on the experiences of the three authors who are highly trained Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Service (ADWAS) staff members.1 Practitioners in the antiviolence field use the terms “sexual assault,” “rape,” and “sexual abuse” interchangeably. However, it is important to understand the legal definitions of these terms because there are therapeutic implications for a survivor who reports to the police (as well as for those who do not). For legal definitions, therapists are encouraged to check the law in their respective states. For the purpose of this chapter, sexual assault is an umbrella term that includes a wide range of sexual victimizations including acquaintance rape, date rape, intimate partner sexual violence or marital rape, stranger rape, multiple assailant (or gang) rape, and child sexual abuse, each of which is described below. Rape itself is an act of power and control, not a biological need for sexual gratification. Most rapes are planned. Various contexts of relationships between the survivor and the perpetrator exist. Throughout the chapter we refer to the sexual assault survivor as female and the perpetrator as male, as that remains the most common scenario. 1. The Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Service (ADWAS; www.adwas.org) is an organization by, of, and for Deaf and Deaf-Blind victims of domestic violence and sexual assalt. ADWAS’s mission is to empower Deaf and Deaf-Blind victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, and stalking and to eliminate violence by providing victim/survivor services, community education, and prevention information; training professionals; promoting equitable and fair treatment for Deaf and Deaf-Blind victims; and working to change attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and social institutions that foster and perpetuate violence. Founded in 1986 and located in Seattle, Washington, the ADWAS model has been replicated in 18 other cities across the United States and an additional 28 will be added in 2009 and 2010. ADWAS established the nation’s first transitional housing program for Deaf women, “A Place of Our Own,” in 2006. The organization is committed to providing accessible and safe housing and services for Deaf and Deaf-Blind women and their children through the following programs: advocacy, counseling, national domestic violence hotline, positive parenting program, and the transitional housing program. ADWAS has a number of educational materials, including several videos it has written and produced. Deaf Survivors of Sexual Assault 321 Acquaintance Rape Acquaintance rape is a type of sexual assault in which the survivor and the perpetrator are known to each other (coworker, neighbor, friend, doctor, etc.), but not intimately, and they are not related. Approximately 35% of survivors are raped by acquaintances (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006). Date Rape Almost two-thirds of women raped know their rapist either as a boyfriend, friend, or casual acquaintance (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, 2008). Date rape is defined as nonconsensual penetration and/or oral sex between people who are already acquainted, including for example friends, a date, or people in an existing romantic relationship. In most jurisdictions, no legal distinction exists based on the relationship between a rapist and survivor (except with children). In some date rapes, “date rape drugs” such as GHB, flunitrazepam (Rohypnol, “roofies ”), temazepam (Restoril), midazolam (Versed), and ketamine are used. The use of these drugs illustrates how sexual assaults are planned and premeditated events. Perpetrators of sexual assault use date rape drugs as a method to incapacitate their victim and to ensure that the victim will not be able to resist the assault. In addition, use of these drugs assures the perpetrator that the survivor will not recall enough details about the assault to prosecute the perpetrator (University of Alberta Sexual Assault Center, 2008). Date rape may also include the use of alcohol, which remains the drug most frequently implicated in substance-assisted sexual assault. The rapist drinking alcohol may lose his inhibitions or shed his common sense, which may allow his aggressive tendencies to surface...