This course explores the phenomenon of rape and sexual crimes including; myths about rape and rapists, recovery from sexual assault, information about sex offenders, and sexual exploitation including human trafficking. Gaining a better understanding of the complexity of these issues is gained by exploring and considering psychological, societal, legal, and cultural contexts.
Any minister, lay leader, or mission minded believer is responsible for preventing, through awareness and understanding, sex crimes and assisting those who are or have been victims of sex crimes. This includes law enforcement, social workers, ministers, friends, neighbors and family. Those within the criminal justice profession seeking to live out a missional calling through their work would benefit from a structured and guided engagement about sexual assault, sex crimes, sex-offenders and sex victims. The topic regarding sexual crimes affects all in society. Members of the community would benefit in a better understanding of and knowledge of sexual assault and sex crimes.
Sexual assault and crime have far-reaching applications. Sexual assault victims suffer tremendous amounts of physical and psychological trauma. Victim blaming can cause physical, financial, and emotional hardships throughout and after the criminal justice process. Understanding, recognizing, and offering services to victims of sexual assault can help alleviate trauma and reduce secondary victimization. This application of supporting and providing services to those who have been victimized has long been explored in the Christian faith. It benefits the larger mission of God for mission-minded individuals with training in criminal justice as well as community members to become active regarding the support of victims of sex crimes.
Sexual deviance and crime involves all members of society. This course helps develop biblically-educated criminal justice providers and community members.
If criminal justice practitioners desire to live out their missional calling in the criminal justice field, they will desire to understand how to assist and provide services for sexual assault victims and offenders. Approximately twenty million out of 112 million women in the United States alone have been raped during their lifetime. However, only sixteen percent of all rapes have been reported. Sexual assault and crime services are a part of the mission's field for everyone.
Sexual assault and sex crimes including human trafficking is a unique ministry context, and a course on sex crimes to include faith-based services would help practitioners and community members as a whole apply broader biblical principles to the communities they work and live in.
A large part of sex crimes tends to the issues of culture and equity. Eighty-one percent of women who are raped, stalked, or experience physical violence by an intimate partner reported significant short and long term impacts. Thirty-five percent of women raped as minors are also raped as adults. Twenty-eight percent of men sexually assaulted were first raped prior to ten years of age. Criminal justice values can change among differing cultures. Sexual assault and crimes are applicable in this area.
Sexual assault trauma is directly related to the aftermath of crime. Sexual assault victims suffer both physical and psychological trauma. This can include physical, financial and emotional trauma long after the actual crime. Lack of support and services for victims of sexual assault can cause secondary injuries. Everyone needs the knowledge to recognize understand and support those victimized by sexual assault and crimes.
Sexual assault and crimes are best learned through theories and application. Cases are brought to the table for discussion and learning, and learners return to their practice with the benefit of that learning.
