Topic > The long-term effects of dealing with victimization

Finding a way to deal with victimization can be one of the most difficult things to deal with. Littleton and Breitkopf (2006) found that the negative consequences victims experience following rape can influence the coping strategies used by victims (p. 107). Negative stimuli may be related to how the police treat the victim after the rape or may be the responses of others after disclosing the rape. Many victims suffer from feelings of guilt and mention things like "I shouldn't have been out so late alone." Victims often find that one of the best ways to deal with victimization is through counseling. Rape crisis counseling helps victims find a safe way to deal with the situation. They started by listening to the victim's story so they could understand what type of treatment the victim needs. Male victims are less likely to seek counseling help due to the shame and embarrassment they feel. Turner and Light (2010) found that most male survivors do not participate in counseling, and those who seek help often do so long after the sexual assault or rape has occurred (p. 256). Male victims are more hostile, angry, and depressed immediately after rape than female victims. This also relates to why men are less likely to report being victimized because they feel they will be judged and their masculinity will be questioned. Because male rape often goes unrecognized, there is a lack of services available for male survivors. So there is also a lack of knowing exactly how to cope positively after sexual intercourse