Abstract
This painful narrative may represent a dramatically commonplace monologue by a rape victim to a mental health therapist, expressing feelings of deep embarrassment, guilt, stigmatization by society, and even self-blame. In fact, rape victims' most common response to rape is the belief that they are somehow responsible for the attack. Therapists persuade rape victims to disclose this fear in order to help them heal from the psychological effects of the assault. Because of the intimate and deep damage sexual assault inflicts on its victims, "[e]ffective psychotherapy depends upon an atmosphere of confidence and trust in which the patient is willing to make a frank and complete disclosure of facts, emotions, memories, and fears., Thus, "the mere possibility of disclosure may impede development of the confidential relationship necessary for successful treatment., In fact, because of the highly personal nature of rape and surrounding social stigma, a sexual assault survivor is more likely than the general population to be deterred from seeking counseling without assurances of confidentiality.
Recommended Citation
Peterson, Tera Jckowski
(2001)
"Distrust and Discovery: The Impending Debacle in Discovery of Rape Victims' Counseling Records in Utah,"
Utah Law Review: Vol. 2001:
No.
3, Article 3.
Available at:
https://dc.law.utah.edu/ulr/vol2001/iss3/3