Protection Unit at the National Center for Mental Health in the Year 2001
[March 2001 to March 2002]
Of the 100 cases reported at the National Center for Mental Health from March 2001 to March 2002, significant observations can be made. Only four accounted for male victims while the rest of the numbers – ninety-six to be exact – are sexual crimes perpetuated to women. It would have been ideal to encompass all the complexities and variables involved in the cases, but the conduct of this study is focused on incest. Significant it is to note the incidence of different sexual crimes. Therefore, the researcher decided to signify the contrast on the prevalence of cases of sexual crimes and not just itemize the incest incidents. Of the hundred, sexual abuse victims number up to sixty-one (61), physical abuse at (three) 3, verbal abuse (one) 1, sexual indiscretion (one) 1, while incest is at (thirty-four) 34. Incest incidents therefore constitute 34% of these crimes. The table below shows the percentage of each sexual case.
Though not conclusive, the record shows that most of the victims are uneducated or have barely attained primary education. Sixteen (16) of the victims are unschooled, fifty-one (51) barely reach elementary while thirty-one (31) victims were able to attain some high school education and two (2) achieved some college years. The table below sums up these data:
Of particular importance to this paper is to identify the disorders mostly acquired by the incest victims handled by the Center for mental health. It was found out that the disorders the victims usually acquire are any of the following, but not limited to any one of them: Schizophrenia, Bipolar Affective Disorder and Mental Retardation which may range from mild, moderate to severe.
Mild mental retardation is a disorder characterized by significant abnormal intellectual functioning accompanied by significant limitation in adaptive functioning. Mental age is that of a 9-11 years old and the Intelligence Quotient at 50-70. Affected individuals can learn academic, social and communication skills up to approximately that of the sixth grade level by their teens. These individuals can be guided toward social conformity.
Moderate mental retardation – DOH defines this as characterized by a significant sub-average general intellectual functioning resulting in, or associated with concurrent impairment in adaptive behavior and manifested during the development period before the age of 18. The Intelligence Quotient ranges from 35-45, limited language use, impaired in caring for oneself and therefore, a guardian is needed.
In Severe mental retardation disorder, there is a significantly sub-average intellectual functioning with concurrent deficits or impairment in present adaptive functioning such as self-care, communication, social interpersonal skills, self-direction, functional academic skills and work, leisure and safety – all these occuring before the individuals 18 years of age. But the individual is not able to benefit from any vocational training yet they can develop self-protection skills to a minimal useful level in a controlled environment.
Bipolar Affective Disorder is attributable from the presence of the decrease need for stop,
thought racing, weight loss, suicidal ideations, distractability, poor concentration, sudden mood swings, social withdrawal and auditory hallucinations.
A person suffering from Major Depressive Disorder displays the following traits: depressed mood most of the day, markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all or most activities of the day, sleep and appetite disturbances, psychomotor agitation, loss of energy nearly everyday, feelings of hopelessness and inappropriate quiet and diminished ability to think or concentration. For the sake of non-complexity, depression may it be accompanied by psychotic and/or adjustment disorder is generally regarded in this paper under depression.
Schizophrenia on the other hand is set apart by the rpesence of hallucination, delusion, low functional tolerance, disorganized behavior/speech and impulsivity.
For the purposes of this study, we limit the disorders with these four for they are the frequent disorder suffered by the victims in the cases involved. Nonetheless, a number of disorder cover the range of those victims of sexual crimes.
Generally, on the numbers when all the sexual crimes are involved show that most suffer from Retardation while Depression comes next. Focusing on incest suggests the same pattern as much as it is on rape victims though rape victims are of greater number.
Note that the sum of the incidence is more than 100, it is 117 because 17 of the
Victims suffer form at most two disorders namely: 8 suffered both Mild retardation
And depression; 3 Mild Retardation and severe depression; 3 moderate retardation
And depression; and 1 each for Bipolar Affective Disorder with Depression, Bipolar
Affective Disorder with Mild Retardation and lastly Psychotic Disorder with Mild
Mental Retardation.
A strong point in need of emphasis is that the data showed the non-relation of age (years of earth life) to the disorder acquired by the individuals. Rather, a general assumption, particularly on Mental Retardation can be made and was noted by the center for mental health – that it is quite due to educational limitation and lacking on motivation and attention.
Though the data is not sufficient, it is also safe to suggest that family background and childhood experience greatly affects that tendency of individuals to suffer the said disorders. In this sample- 100 cases- most of the victims are either unwanted pregnancies thus they’re not taken cared of, or they have parents in conflict and even are separated plus the fact that there is a striking poverty facing them eye-to-eye. However, a more specific study is needed to establish that.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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