Accountability: a right of the rape victim

Accountability by the professional is especially important in a crisis situation. Rape is experienced by victims as a life threatening situation and it thus triggers an acute stress reaction which requires them to go through a long-term reorganization process. As a crisis situation, it makes them hypersensitive to the attitudes of those people to whom they turn for help and assistance. Clients--in this case rape victims--benefit when professionals are careful to be accountable to them. The victim counselors defined and redefined their role to the victims through their work with the victim as well as explaninig the services they could provide. In reviewing the reactions of 146 victims to treatment by police, hospital, and counselors, one theme emerged again and again: clients want explanation from professionals about role expectations and about procedures that are to be done.