Campbell- Response to Rape

The article by Campbell examines how rape victims are treated in legal, medical, and mental health institutions. There are numerous factors which determine the severity of rape cases including; the use of a weapon, whether the victim was a stranger or not, presence of physical injury, if there was alcohol involved and lastly the reaction of the victim deeming them as either "good victim" or "bad victim". Campbell examines what the protocol for victims should be and then compares that information with statistics for actual rape statistics.

Campbell compares three different test groups and how they were treated in each institution. The first group received proper services with access to resources in their community as well as legal success. The second group comprised more of a cluster with many different experiences. Victims in this group were more likely raped by a partner or someone they know and often happened under the influence of alcohol. This group did not receive success in the legal system implying that the use of alcohol negates claims of rape. The third group had a negative experience in the legal, medical, and mental health institutions. They did not see success legally and often were denied proper medical treatment and health information. The treatment of each of the three groups can be related to inherent social problems dealing with race, ethnicity, and class.

Campbell's article can be related to the methods used by structural functionalists when comparing each social institution and how the affect one another. Often rape victims who do not exhibit signs of a "good victim" are treated unfairly by the police and by medical facilities. They are often mis-judged and pushed to the side due to their socio-economic status and lack of authority. Campbell quoted one case advocate when they said, "You could tell the case was going to go nowhere and nothing I could do would change that. The police were adamant. I would have had better luck banging my head against a brick wall. Besides, you have to think of the next victim you'll be working with. You don't want to anger the police so badly on one case that it may hurt the next victim the comes through." This quote is a great example of how different social institutions interact and affect each other.