The Impact of Rape/Sexual Assault

Diana’s story illustrates the impact rape or sexual assault can have on a woman. First, Diana believes that the rape was her fault. Thus, she does not tell anyone what happened or try to get any help. She is so emotionally destroyed by the betrayal of her trust that she is unable to finish college and barely able to keep a job. The rape also impacts Diana’s love life. She is afraid of men and does not believe she deserves to be happily married.

Diana punishes herself by not telling anyone what happened to her. Diana believes that what happened to her was her fault: “She was a broken thing, thanks to her own stupidity, her own dumb, naive, trusting nature” (104). Although Diana was at fault for not being truthful with Dr. Levy that she was going to a...