Emotional Stability, Self-Concept and Insecurities among Adolescents Rape Victims

Rape is truly a violation of one's mind and soul. Most common rape experience is one in which a betrayal of trust accompanies with physical violence, shattering of the victim's emotional stability and self-esteem and feeling of hopelessness and self blame.An attack by a stranger might caused different adjustment problems than an attack by a person with whom the victim has had some close relationship. The peresent research attempted to examine the emotional stability, self concept and insecurities among two different types of rape victims i.e. victim with known perpetrator and victim with unknown perpetrator. For the purpose 50 rape victims from different sheltor homes, NGOs and residential areas of delhi were taken as a sample of the study. Emotional stability test by Gupta and Singh (1985), Self concept inventory by Mohsm (1979) and Security-insecurity inventory by Mohsin (1979) was used in order to get the data. An informal interview was used to obtain, an overall understanding of the trauma. Demographic information, miseries and critical concern of the victims were also noted down. Results of the study indicated that victim in both groups shows almost similar type of emotional instaility while victims with known perpetrator have found to be low self concept and more insecurities in comparison to other groups. The paper concludesrape victim are likely to experience a negative social responses like police harassment, parental rejection, shame and fear, and occasionally public outrage implying that rape victims need support to recover. Further studies should include coping strategies and intervention.