April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month but we are instead treated to marathon news about various sexual violence that occurs. There are doctors who commit rape and harassment while examining patients, professors who commit sexual harassment, teachers who show off their genitals to their elementary school students, men who masturbate on public transportation, a doctor who peeks at female students taking a shower and many more.
All the news we consume is very suffocating, triggering feelings of worry, sadness, giving rise to " trust issues ", eliminating feelings of security and comfort.
Violent incidents committed against someone certainly provide an unpleasant emotional experience for everyone who is a victim or who hears and witnesses. All humanists certainly agree that violent behavior is not justified for any reason whatsoever.
How Does Violent Behavior Occur?
A violent/aggressive behavior is a complex process that occurs in the brain. What happens in the brain is the neurobiological process that causes a violent behavior to occur? There are two important parts of the brain that play a role, namely:
1. Top Down (Brake)
The part of the brain in the prefrontal cortex area , the front part of the brain that functions as a decision maker, self-control, rational, logical thinking and consideration.
2. Bottom Up (Drive/gas)
The midbrain part is the amygdala , which is known as the center of emotions/feelings.
Within this area of the brain are structures, neural circuits, neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain) and physiological processes.
Failure of maturity and damage to the neural circuits in the brain can cause failure in the two areas of the brain. The prefrontal cortex part of the brain fails to carry out its function of controlling behavior and self-control. The amygdala part of the brain becomes hyperresponsive so that even the slightest trigger immediately triggers emotions. All of this then leads to violent/aggressive behavior. Coupled with traumatic memories stored in the hippocampus area , there is a ' trigger' that reminds of unpleasant events that can trigger anger and aggression.
Failure of brain maturity can lead to violent behavior including sexual violence.
Paraphilia Sexual Disorders
A mental disorder characterized by strange, unnatural sexual desires involving objects, body parts, or certain situations. These sexual desires, fantasies, impulses and urges become intense and repeated sexual behavior for at least 6 months and cause distress, problems, disruption to social functioning, work, daily life, damage relationships and harm to others.
Types of Paraphilia Disorders
According to DSM V (Diagnostic Statistical Manual) there are several types of Paraphilia Disorders, as follows.
- Voyeurism : observing, spying, photographing, taking videos, of someone who is naked, undressed or engaged in sexual activity.
- Exhibitionism : showing genitals to others
- Frotteurism : touching or rubbing the genitals against another person's body
- Masochism : getting sexual satisfaction by being tied up, tortured, beaten or suffering.
- Sadism : getting sexual satisfaction by torturing, beating, tying up, making others suffer.
- Pedophilia : engaging in sexual activity with prepubescent children (usually 13 years of age or younger)
- Fetishism : sexual attraction to inanimate objects or body parts. Examples of specific fetishes include somnophilia (sexual arousal of an unconscious person) and urophilia (deriving sexual pleasure from seeing or thinking about urine or urination).
- Transvestism : wearing clothes of the opposite sex to obtain sexual gratification.
Causes of Paraphilia Disorders
Paraphilia sexual disorders are caused by the following things.
- Genetics, biological, chromosomal and hormonal factors
- Drug Use
- Authoritarian, permissive and neglectful parenting styles
- Traumatic events, being a victim of sexual violence, harassment, bullying
- Environment, social interactions that lead to the emergence of deviant sexual behavior
- Viewing on the internet, social media related to pornography and various sexual behaviors
Impact of Victims of Sexual Violence
If not handled properly, victims of sexual violence can experience various mental disorders such as
- PSTD ( post traumatic stress disorder)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Psychotic (disorder in assessing reality, characterized by hallucinations and /delusions)
- Sexual disorders, etc.
Fast and appropriate treatment is needed by people who experience sexual violence so they can recover quickly. The hope for recovery is quite large if immediately given treatment by professionals who have competence such as psychiatrists, mental health nurses, psychologists, counselors and social workers.
The mental health of victims of sexual violence is a priority in handling this case. Every report of sexual violence needs to be responded to immediately so that the victim's mental health can be maintained properly.
Therapy for Victims of Sexual Violence
- Supportive, reeducative, reconstructive psychotherapy
- Psychopharmacology (antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers)
- Psychosocial Rehabilitation
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Neurofeedback
- Support system , support from family, community and surrounding environment
Tips to Prevent Sexual Violence
1. Avoid dangerous situations, try to travel with a companion when in a quiet place, avoid drinking alcohol and illegal drugs which can reduce your level of consciousness.
2. Set firm boundaries on the attitudes and behaviors of sexually unpleasant people. Assertive say that you are not comfortable being treated like that and leave the place immediately or ask for help from others if the situation does not change. If necessary, scream and run to a safe place.
3. Teach children about sexuality as early as possible, such as:
- No one should look at and touch private areas of the body such as the mouth, chest, buttocks and genitals
- No one may order or force to see or touch another person's private areas.
- No one may show indecent photos, videos
4. Teach children to be open about what they experience, especially if it is sexual violence, and they will be safe if they tell their parents.
5. Get to know the adults around the children, make sure they are in a safe environment from the risk of sexual violence.
6. Monitor children's and teenagers' reading, viewing and games. Make sure there is nothing pornographic
7. Teach children and teenagers to appreciate and respect friends and other people by not behaving rudely, especially regarding sexuality.
8. Ensure that the school, campus, workplace and other environments are monitored by CCTV cameras so that bad behavior can be detected.
9. Be alert and detect sudden changes in emotions, attitudes and behavior early because they could be signs that you have experienced sexual violence.
10. Immediately consult a mental health professional if a family member, friend or relative experiences sexual violence so that the psychological trauma experienced can be treated immediately.