After being raped-Yuna Tsushima

http://time.com/98492/rape-sexual-assault-victims-police/

  I read an article about the result of law amendment in 2005 which allowed the victims of rape to get free medical exams without or before reporting to the police. Before 2005, they used to be required to report the crime that they experienced to get proper medical support. But some victims do not want others to know about the affair and they cannot go to the police or it takes time to decide to talk about the crime to someone and they couldn’t go to see a doctor. So it was thought that this amendment help more victims get enough medical care after the sexual assault. However, the result of amendment did not seem to be so effective. It did not work so much, the number of the people who went to the hospital without going to the police office was really small. So the official is seeing the need to let the nationals know about this. In addition, there is another problem. Some people stay in the United State without proper procedure so they cannot have access to the hospital and the police. If they go to the hospital, they are revealed to be illegal immigrant.

   I was really surprised to read this article because it says that most of the victims know the attacker and some of them did not even notice that they were assaulted. I think we need to change the recognition of sexual assault. I think rape is a tragedy enough as itself, but being a victim of rape is also a tragedy. The victim will be scared of men, suffer from reputation or rumor about it, and sometimes it will be difficult for them to have sound relationship with their future boyfriend. I can understand their feeling that they want to keep it secret so that they can live without being looked as victims of rape. But I think they need help. It is a really delicate problem because people around the victim should care about it but it is not good to be too sensitive about it. They should get not only medical exam but also some kinds of therapy. I used to have different idea that victims should report the crime to police in order to prevent the offender from raping another person, and make neighbors be aware of what was happen in their area and be careful. I don't know how it feels to be a victim of rape, but now I understand that the most important thing is the victim’s health. They should be protected and supported so that they can live with less pain. I hope that it will be easier to get access to medical care after sexual assault and without being known to others.