Resurrection After Rape Community Group
Discussion, question-and-answer, general social support, and journal processing for progress-oriented rape survivors. No crisis, no damaging or triggering conflicts--this is for individuals who want to contribute to collective, cooperative action toward the goal of making actual PROGRESS through rape trauma. Much of this work is based on the book "Resurrection After...
I don't want to say too much just yet, but I'm working through some concepts that might add up to a new method of designing rape trauma treatment plants. I have never seen this referred to in ANY literature, but I found one book that came close 20 years ago without realizing the significance of it.
Essentially, working with over 500 rape victims in counseling, both female and male, have caused some intriguing patterns to become apparent. We all know that "no rape is exactly like another rape" and that "each person's trauma is unique." But has anyone ever followed those streams back to their sources, and considered WHY they are each different? What factors combine to create the unique manifestation of rape trauma in one person, and why is it different than the traumatic symptoms of another? It is REALLY purely random, or could there be some coded insights we've been missing?
See, I think that the reason rape trauma seems unique is that we focus on one narrative at a time, which is like looking at a single groove of a fingerprint under an electron microscope. Pull back and include the experiences of a few more survivors, and then more, and gradually you see "hey, this isn't just a bunch of random data, these are starting to form a recognizable pattern!" As more and more data is brought into view, we begin to see the whole fingerprint and not just a single groove.
I've been doing a lot of writing late at nights, and suddenly something really hit me: these aren't just a bunch of isolated stories; there are repeating clues hidden in them about each person's traumatic experiences! Taken as a group, these 500+ stories form a "rape fingerprint"--an ordered pattern of information that suggests a very complex cause-and-effect system.
What I'm beginning to notice is that the symptoms of rape trauma, which seem unique and unrelated to the symptoms felt by another rape victim, actually point back to the details of the trauma itself. In other words, I am beginning to suspect that the traumatic symptoms don't point to the victim's traits, but to the rapist's! Each rapist's characteristics infuse a set of patterned symptoms to their victim, and the traumas endured by the victim--even years later--are "fingerprints" that help us understand more about the dynamics of the assault itself, and the mannerisms of the perpetrator.
This is remarkable for several reasons. First, it would help therapists finally begin to design very specific, very accurate treatment plans for each survivor, rather than the typical "client will use cognitive-behavioral therapy to process her trauma," blah blah blah. By comparing the nature of the perpetrator and assault, the therapist can custom-develop a treatment plan that is very specific and very competent for the unique survivor. Once we know the relationship between certain "types" of rape/rapist and the resulting traumatic symptoms, we can begin to develop diverse treatment training curricula, and FINALLY rape trauma therapy will become a specialized approach rather than a generalist effort.
Second, there may be legal uses for this. If my theory holds water, it might help substantiate a rape allegation if the survivor's symptomology can be matched by expert witnesses to her description of the assault and perpetrator. It would give one additional layer of congruence between her allegation and the psychological evidence.
Third, it might help alleviate a LOT of victim self-blame. If my theory is accurate, then it follows that a victim's symptoms are NOT, then, the result of her personal weakness, unworthiness, etc. Rather, they are the psychological residue of the perpetrator's traits, not hers. And since those can be expunged from her with better treatments, she can finally begin to understand that her trauma symptoms are neither permanent, nor evidence of her own flawed traits.
This is going to take a lot of work and research. My theory is much more elaborate than I have let on here, but if I've stumbled onto what I think this signifies, this could be a truly amazing proposal about rape trauma treatments. I want to explore this a lot further.
Essentially, working with over 500 rape victims in counseling, both female and male, have caused some intriguing patterns to become apparent. We all know that "no rape is exactly like another rape" and that "each person's trauma is unique." But has anyone ever followed those streams back to their sources, and considered WHY they are each different? What factors combine to create the unique manifestation of rape trauma in one person, and why is it different than the traumatic symptoms of another? It is REALLY purely random, or could there be some coded insights we've been missing?
See, I think that the reason rape trauma seems unique is that we focus on one narrative at a time, which is like looking at a single groove of a fingerprint under an electron microscope. Pull back and include the experiences of a few more survivors, and then more, and gradually you see "hey, this isn't just a bunch of random data, these are starting to form a recognizable pattern!" As more and more data is brought into view, we begin to see the whole fingerprint and not just a single groove.
I've been doing a lot of writing late at nights, and suddenly something really hit me: these aren't just a bunch of isolated stories; there are repeating clues hidden in them about each person's traumatic experiences! Taken as a group, these 500+ stories form a "rape fingerprint"--an ordered pattern of information that suggests a very complex cause-and-effect system.
What I'm beginning to notice is that the symptoms of rape trauma, which seem unique and unrelated to the symptoms felt by another rape victim, actually point back to the details of the trauma itself. In other words, I am beginning to suspect that the traumatic symptoms don't point to the victim's traits, but to the rapist's! Each rapist's characteristics infuse a set of patterned symptoms to their victim, and the traumas endured by the victim--even years later--are "fingerprints" that help us understand more about the dynamics of the assault itself, and the mannerisms of the perpetrator.
This is remarkable for several reasons. First, it would help therapists finally begin to design very specific, very accurate treatment plans for each survivor, rather than the typical "client will use cognitive-behavioral therapy to process her trauma," blah blah blah. By comparing the nature of the perpetrator and assault, the therapist can custom-develop a treatment plan that is very specific and very competent for the unique survivor. Once we know the relationship between certain "types" of rape/rapist and the resulting traumatic symptoms, we can begin to develop diverse treatment training curricula, and FINALLY rape trauma therapy will become a specialized approach rather than a generalist effort.
Second, there may be legal uses for this. If my theory holds water, it might help substantiate a rape allegation if the survivor's symptomology can be matched by expert witnesses to her description of the assault and perpetrator. It would give one additional layer of congruence between her allegation and the psychological evidence.
Third, it might help alleviate a LOT of victim self-blame. If my theory is accurate, then it follows that a victim's symptoms are NOT, then, the result of her personal weakness, unworthiness, etc. Rather, they are the psychological residue of the perpetrator's traits, not hers. And since those can be expunged from her with better treatments, she can finally begin to understand that her trauma symptoms are neither permanent, nor evidence of her own flawed traits.
This is going to take a lot of work and research. My theory is much more elaborate than I have let on here, but if I've stumbled onto what I think this signifies, this could be a truly amazing proposal about rape trauma treatments. I want to explore this a lot further.
If I try to explain myself I probably will muddy the waters, but I am a determined sort, so....
If there are certain types of rape....(I suppose you mean acquaintance...stranger...violent...not-so-violent...is this right?), then, there are certain types of rapists...the ones you have mentioned before, then, does it follow that there are also certain types of victims. And if so, do we not then take "our type" to be the thing that, coupled with unfortunate cosmic timing, and the evil of a perpetrator...all somehow ending up in the same place, at the same time...(for some of us more than once...)......then how can we NOT find some fault in that scenario? How can we not look to ourselves as one facet of the cause and effect of rape?
And, in regard to a model for therapy for our specific type of rape/rapist/victim thing -- how about all the personality nuances that differ amongst us separate and apart from our rapes? How do those things figure in to a therapeutic model for our specific type? Like....I would be very interested to see how you fit me in to the idea you have here of the rape/rapist/victim (what do you call it?) model (I guess?). Like....what type do you think my rape was? How would you characterize my rapists? Are they all three the same type? (I don't think so, but I'd be interested in how you see them). And finally, what 'type' victim am I? Like...how would you even begin to decipher that? Like, ...A) Did victim fight?...if "no" go to B)....if "yes"...go to A1)....is that how it would work? Am I making it too hard? I just am thinking about my friends here...and you are right, many of us share duplicate aspects of our rape accounts...or, of our foundational accounts like family life and personality issues, and, lots of us seem to say, "You are so much like me"...or "You could be writing my story". So, I get the similarity thing....but might that simply be that there are surely only so many ways to be vile and perpetrate such a horrific offense? I suppose I am just fearful that the idea of a model approach to therapy for rape recovery would leave some of us in the dust of the high-achievers in rape recovery. I have lots of guts and determination, but I end up feeling like I circle around and end up behind myself at times - backtracking. If I am to follow a model approach to therapy...and I lag behind, or hold on to some details I haven't been able to process....is there a pocket for me when I do not behave as expceted? I'd be the one you know? The one who would wreck the model and have the therapist saying...."No, you can't get there from there....you have to come this way...no, no, no....turn around and come here. You must do this step first, then you can move on to that step....tsk, tsk, tsk".
I hope you'll come back to this. I like the idea. I know it probably sounds like I don't, but I am playing DA here. And, kind of playing myself - the self that gets a bit confused from time to time, lol.
I sure would like it is you would use me and my rapists in an example of how you think this would work...or how you would use the information to set up a workable situation. This could be fun....well, kind of.
Hmmmmm, this is getting to be very interesting.
but yes, i agree with your posts. all the words. hehe
Does this mean, if your theory is correct...or even parts of it...do you think that it might indicate the probability that a certain personality type might be the more likely victim in certain circumstances? Where you mention the thing about court cases...how a rape account could possibly be 'matched' up with symptomatology....I would hope that finally there would be wide-spread, universal understanding of the sexual self-injury some of us used following rape. That single bit of information would have rescued me from years of self attack. Imagine if this theory could take the public....in court or out...to a place where they could understand that not all victims of violent crime, of rape...not all of us end up afraid of sex. Some of us sought it out in much the same way it was used to attack us. If we didn't understand why, it is easy to accept the public's disbelief of our trauma as realistic and terrifying, if we engage in much the same activity following it. Just imagine the implications on the judicial system if they could just understad that one tiny point. I have so many little nuggets of despair that pointed the finger of blame directly at me for so many years. Orgasm...promiscuity...masochistic sexual behaviors...on and on....if most of the world knew my reaction to rape, they would never believe I was raped at all, simply because I was never petrified to engage in sex after that day. That I replicated many of the aspects of the rape would further solidify their suspicions....if this could aid the undersatanding of people who reacted like me......WOW! Yes, that would certainly have helped me in the self-blame department.
Actually... I want a questionnaire to fill out and be part of your research, as you work at examining the whole finger print. :D I'd say most of us would like that.
But as Leitha pointed out... what do you do with those that have been through more than one rape trauma? I suppose if the rapes were similar, it wouldn't confuse things too much? Eh... it's your theory, you figure it out. bwahaha
My main thing was PTSD and dissociation. I think what he is saying is that certain types of rapes might produce effects so that say someone has this problem it can be associated with this type of rape ... like mesotheleomia is a type of cancer only caused by asbestos.
I just saw a review written about the book the guy who raped me in HS on AMAZON.com the reviewer talks endlessly about the author having HATE and being DEMEANING and ect... the reviewer mentions the word hate about the authors hate many times. so that is like a direct transferance he transfered hate to me ... but I got rid of it ... sounds like he still has it. sorry for even posting this I guess this is why I am back dealing with all this after seeing this It just freaks me out
Excerpt:
HORRIBLY DEMEAINING ANTI-POLISH GARBAGE, June 26, 2007
By Academic - See all my reviews
What is truly tragic is that this "hate" writing is directed at school children. Very upsetting and confusing....
Polish bashing goes to an all time low with Paul Grajnert at the wheel. Why do people spend so much time wriring hate books like this one by Grajnert. If Grajnert knows nothing about Poland, then he should not write about it. What makes this anti-Polish book horribly tragic, is that Grajnert's hate of Polish people is aimed at school children. This book only reminds chidren to hate Poles. The world needs books about bringing people together, and not very upsetting and distorted books like Paul Grajnert's. Don't bother!!!