| Abstrakt: |
Statutory rape is also known as underage rape, when a male has sex with an under 16 female, with or without her will. There is a lack of numbers in research conducted focusing on teenagers statutory rape victims' acceptance of themselves and victims' acceptance of statutory rapist. This research aims to explore victims' acceptance of self-status after being raped. Aspect of acceptance was identified through i) interpretation about pre-marital sex, ii) acceptance towards self-status as a victim of statutory rape, and iv) acceptance towards the statutory rapist. This research used qualitative methodology with structured interview as a method in collecting data. Six teenagers in Pertubuhan Kebajikan Darul Islah Selangor (PERKID) were chosen purposely as informants. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The research found that most of the victims were willing of the sex, but then the victims secluded themselves, feared the possibility of being pregnant, were mad at themselves, and involved in more social problems such as smoking and alcohol intake. In the data of victims' acceptance towards the statutory rapist, two main themes was produced which are i) informants accepted the rapists because of love, and ii) for those who did not accept the rapists, was because they lost faith in the rapist whom the victims considered as their own family. This research implicates the importance of a more holistic intervention delivered to the victims of statutory rape. High acceptance towards love-based relationships might encourage the teenagers to get involved again. More emphasis needs to be given in changing the victims' perceptions towards legally unacceptable statutory relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
