Rape Trauma Syndrome Essays - Rape, Behavior, Violence, Aggression

Rape Trauma Syndrome Dictionaries most commonly define rape as a sexual act committed by force especially on a woman. (The American Heritage College Dictionary. 1997 pg. 740) Until a few years ago it was limited to penial penetration of the vagina. Penal Code 261 defines rape as "an act of sexual intercourse accomplished with a person not the spouse of the perpetrator without the lawful consent."(Roberson, 1998, p. 188) Penal Code 263 goes on to say that "the fundamental wrong at which the law of rape is aimed is . . . the violation of a woman's will and sexuality." (Roberson, 1998, p. 190) All other sexual assaults are classified under varied names, yet the aftermath is usually the same. Rape is one of the cruelest forms of criminal violence. The victim suffers a profound injury. Rendered powerless by physical force, threats, or fear, after which being forced to submit to sexual acts, including vaginal penetration, oral copulation, sodomy, and penetration opening with a foreign object, the victim is left virtually alone. Rape is an intrusion into the most private and intimate parts of the body, as well as an assault on the core of the self. Despite whether the victim suffers any physical trauma, the psychological impact of a sexual assault is severe. Moreover, the painful, post-trauma symptoms that result from rape are long-lasting. Even those victims who appear to have recovered months or years later often find that an overwhelming sense of powerlessness and vulnerability remains close to the surface and can easily, and unexpectedly, be reexperienced. A critical factor in the long-term impact of rape is that the assault radically changes the victim's view of the world. Basic beliefs about the environment, other people, and the self are shattered. These are devastating losses. Thus, many survivors report that the rapist irrevocably alters their lives. The rapist takes away something that the victims can never wholly regain. We can examine the impact of rape in various ways. One perspective takes into consideration the underlying meaning the assault has for the victim. The grave threats and profound losses the victim suffers change their life dramatically, sometimes forever. Another manifestation of the impact of rape is the anguish of the victims. The psychological and behavioral symptoms of distress are poignant symbols of the destructiveness of the rapist's acts. Yet another way to understand the impact of rape is to compare it with other forms of trauma. Rape is an extreme form of human cruelty that in some ways resembles other overwhelming traumatic events. Rape trauma syndrome is the acute phase and long-term reorganization process that occur because of forcible rape or attempted forcible rape. (Bergess & Holmstrom, 1974) Researchers have identified stages that the victim goes through while suffering the effects of victimization. (Abarbanel & Richman, 1990) The initial impact of rape is a feeling of numbness, the victim is in a state of shock and disbelief and may still feel terrorized. (B&H, 1974) The victim's appearance can be misleading, appearing jolted or astonished, sedate and stifled. (A&R, 1990) The controlled behavior masks the serious psychological wound that they have endured.(A&R, 1990) Expressions of disbelief are most likely a reflection of the hidden inner chaos. (A&R, 1990) Usually following the initial stage of numbness follows the stage of denial. Victims have already experienced the worse of lost control. Therefore, any thoughts of this experience may risk another loss of control. Denial can vary from a direct denial; refusing to talk about it but recognizing that there was an incident, to not even recognizing that she knows anything has happened. Women will sometimes express this stage through their behavior, bathing or douching more than usual hoping to wash the rape away. (A&R, 1990) The DSM-IV places in its diagnostic criteria many reactions in this stage such as conversation and thought avoidance. The dangerous side to this stage is avoiding reporting the incident to the police, or not seeking medical treatment. (A&R, 1990) Sometimes serious infections will grow because of this, and the perpetrator is allowed to continue living his "normal" life when the victim cannot. After sometime, most victims enter the next stage of acute stress; acute means it usually lasts less than three months. (A&R, 1990) (DSM-IV) This is a major stage containing most of the diagnostic criteria according to the DSM-IV; including sleeping disorders, anxiety, and mostly a large preoccupation with the event. Fear is also a major feeling during this stage, victims can become hypersensitive to their surroundings and may begin to repeat safety rituals, such as checking door locks, and window

Should You Get a STEM Degree

Should You Get a STEM Degree SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A STEM degree can encompass many different fields of study. In this article, we’ll break down what STEM means, whether a STEM program is right for you, and a complete STEM majors list. What Is a STEM degree? STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM encompasses every sub-discipline inside the fields above. For instance, biology is a sub-discipline of science. Electrical engineering is a sub-discipline of engineering. STEM degrees often offer students a hands-on educational approach to these fields. Students who earn a STEM degree gain, in addition to their degree itself, experience in analysis, research, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Students who graduate with STEM degrees go on to be engineers, researchers, computer scientists, analysts and more. STEM Fields: Examined Like I mentioned before, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Let’s take a deeper look at each of those fields. Science The â€Å"S† in STEM stands for â€Å"science.† In this acronym, science generally refers to the natural sciences, which include fields like astronomy, biology, and physics. There are two other types of science: formal science and social science. Formal science is the study of mathematics, logic, and statistics, which is represented by the â€Å"M† in STEM. Social science includes the fields of psychology and sociology and is typically considered part of the humanities. Technology The â€Å"T† in STEM stands for technology. Students who study technology learn about the roles of technology in modern life. Technology majors can pursue careers in computer science, web/app development, video game design, and more. Engineering The â€Å"E† in STEM stands for engineering. Sub-fields of engineering include aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, and more. Mathematics The â€Å"M† in STEM stands for mathematics. Students who study mathematics learn about calculus, logic, algebra, statistics, and more. Differences Between Undergraduate and Graduate STEM Programs You can pursue a STEM degree as an undergraduate or graduate student. There are Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD STEM degree options. So what should you choose? Should you plan to go to graduate school if you want to work in STEM? Let’s explore. Research Opportunities One of the biggest differences between undergraduate and graduate STEM programs is the amount of research you’ll do. As a general rule, undergraduate programs are more focused on classroom learning versus hands-on research. Some undergraduate programs will offer research opportunities, but it’s not a given. Graduate programs, on the other hand, will be heavily research focused. Most students will participate in larger research projects with professors at their university. They may even direct their own projects. Job Outlook Typically, students who earn an advanced degree will have more career opportunities and start at a higher rate of pay. Depending on the company you want to work for and the position you’re seeking, you may need an advanced degree to even apply in the first place. Top 15 STEM Majors There is a wide range of options for STEM programs. In this STEM majors list, we’ll take a look at a few of the most popular majors in each STEM discipline. Science Astronomy: Astronomy (and astrophysics) is the study of planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe. You’ll learn about space, as well as the history and future of the universe. Biological sciences: Biological sciences majors study ecology, plant, human and animal development, cell dynamics, molecular medicine and more. This major is great for people looking to go to medical school. Earth sciences: Students who study the earth sciences take classes in biology, mineralogy, geochemistry, physical geology, and more. They’ll learn about minerals, rocks, soil chemistry, and natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanoes. Physics: Physics students study scientific matter and energy. They’ll learn about electricity, magnetism, relativity, and more. Technology IT management: IT management majors learn how to use computer software and systems to manage information. IT management majors search for technology-based solutions to problems. Software engineering: Software engineers learn how to design, develop, maintain, test and evaluate computer software. Video game programming: If you love video games, video game programming might be the major for you. Video game programmers work with larger teams to create and develop new video games. Computer programming: Students in this major learn the fundamentals of computer programming. This is a solid major choice for students aspiring to be programmers. Engineering Aerospace engineering: Aerospace engineering majors learn how to build planes and spacecraft. This major is great if you hope to one day work with a company or organization like Boeing, NASA, or SpaceX. Biomedical engineering: Biomedical engineering is a cross-disciplinary field, where students learn about how engineering principles can impact human health. Civil engineering: Civil engineering deals with the design and construction of things like bridges, dams, airports, pipelines and more. Electrical engineering: Electrical engineering majors learn about the design and application of equipment related to electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. Math Mathematics: Math majors study a number of different topics, including calculus, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, computational mathematics, number theory, and more. Many math majors choose to concentrate in one specific area of math. Statistics: Statistics is a math field that relies heavily on computers, with students learning analytical and logical reasoning, information management, and quantitative reasoning. Logic and Computation: Students who study logic and computation gain skills in logic, analytic philosophy, mathematics, computer science, and more. They will go on to work in fields like computer science or philosophy. Best Schools for Stem Degrees There are numerous options for STEM degrees, both graduate and undergraduate. Here are ten of the best STEM schools in the United States. Harvey Mudd College: Claremont, California Harvey Mudd College is a private science and engineering college, part of the consortium of Claremont Colleges that share adjoining campus ground in California. Harvey Mudd is one of the best engineering schools in the world. Princeton University: Princeton, New Jersey Princeton University has topnotch engineering and mathematics departments. Located in New Jersey, Princeton offers many opportunities for research. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Cambridge, Massachusetts One of the best (if not the best) STEM universities in the world, MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT boasts an impressive list of alumni, including 58 National Medal of Science recipients, 45 Rhodes Scholars, 41 astronauts, and 16 Chief Scientists of the US Air Force. University of California, Berkeley: Berkeley, California Located close to Silicon Valley, UC Berkeley has produced some of the finest professionals in STEM fields. UC Berkeley is the home of a world-renowned engineering program. Johns Hopkins University (Hopkins): Baltimore, Maryland Johns Hopkins University was the first research university sited in the United States. If you’re interested in medicine, Johns Hopkins has one of the best medical programs in the world. Stanford University: Stanford, California Snapchat, Google, Netflix. What do these tech giants have in common? They were all founded by graduates of Stanford. Boasting one of the best technology programs in the world, Stanford also has rigorous offerings in science, engineering, and mathematics. Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech): Atlanta, Georgia Georgia Tech is a research university and institute of technology in Georgia, with satellite campuses around the world. Georgia Tech has 31 majors with a focus on STEM fields. Carnegie Mellon University: Pittsburgh, PA With its headquarters near downtown Pittsburgh and satellite campuses on six continents, Carnegie Mellon is one of the best research universities in the world. Carnegie Mellon’s computer science program is ranked first by US News and World Report. California Institute of Technology (Caltech): Pasadena, California Consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world, Caltech has strong natural science and engineering programs. More than 90% of students at Caltech participate in hands-on research. Harvard University: Cambridge, Massachusetts This list wouldn’t be complete without Harvard University. Their Chemistry and Chemical Biology department alone has birthed five Nobel laureates. With numerous opportunities for research and work, Harvard is a top-notch place for any wannabe STEM major. STEM Degree: Final Thoughts A STEM degree is an excellent opportunity for students looking to break into the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. If you’re looking to major in a STEM discipline, take a look at the ten schools headlined in this article. What's Next? If you're hoping to attend college but are unsure howto begin the search process, check out this step by step guide for doing college research. Need help applying to grad school? Read our expert guide on grad school deadlines andget tips on the best time to apply tograd school! Want your GRE scores to stand out on your grad school applications?Check out our in-depth guide onmaximizing your GRE scoreand learnhow to make a foolproof GRE study plantoday!