Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Of 135 intellectually disabled rape survivors who were given forensic psychological examinations, 82.2% perceived the perpetrators' actions as wrong, 2 (1.5%) did not think it was wrong, and 22 (16.3%) could not articulate if it was wrong or not. 52.6% cited personal nonconsent as the reason for believing it was wrong, 11.1% cited the pain or injury suffered, 8.9% perceived the act as a broader moral wrong, and 27.4% could not elucidate reasons or did not think it was wrong. 76.3% wanted the perpetrators to be imprisoned, while 23.7% were unable to formulate an opinion on consequences for the perpetrator. The results contribute to a fuller understanding of intellectually disabled rape survivors' perceptions of the criminal act and their rights to demand justice.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Allan

(2006) Intellectual disability. In Kaliski

(Ed.), Psycholegal assessment in South Africa. Oxford, UK: Oxford Univer. Press. Pp 287–298.

American Psychiatric Association. (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (4th ed., Rev.) Washington, DC: Author.

Ebert

R. S.

Long

J. S.

(2007) Mental retardation and the criminal justice system. In Hall

H. V.

(Ed.), Forensic psychology and neuropsychology for criminal and civil cases. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Pp 375–392.

Helwig

C. C.

Zelazo

P. D.

Wilson

(2001) Children's judgements of psychological harm in normal and noncanonical situations. Child Development, 72, 66–81.

Knoetze

Bass

Steele

(2005) The Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices: Pilot norms for isiXhosa-speaking primary school learners in peri-urban Eastern Cape. South African Journal of Psychology, 35, 175–194.

Kohlberg

(1963) The development of children's orientation toward a moral order. Vita Humana, 6, 11–33.

Nobes

Panagiotaki

Pawson

(2009) The influence of negligence, intention, and outcome on children's moral judgments. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 104, 382–397.

Pillay

A. L.

(2008) An audit of competency assessments on court-referred rape survivors in South Africa. Psychological Reports, 103, 764–770.

Pillay

A. L.

Sargent

(2000) Psycho-legal issues affecting rape survivors with mental retardation. South African Journal of Psychology, 30, 9–13.

10.

Privateer

P. M.

(2006) Inventing intelligence. Maiden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

11.

Raven

(1998) Coloured Progressive Matrices. Oxford, UK: Oxford Psychologists Press.

12.

Republic of South Africa. (2007) Criminal Law (sexual offences and related matters) Amendment Act. Pretoria, South Africa: Juta Law.

13.

Tymchuk

A. J.

(1991) Self-concept of mothers who show mental retardation. Psychological Reports, 68, 503–510.

14.

Vickerman

K. A.

Margolin

(2009) Rape treatment outcome research: Empirical findings and state of the literature. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 431–448.

Intellectually Disabled Rape Survivors' Perceptions of Morality and Consequences of the Crime

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References