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| 'I was raped and my counsellor asked me what I had been wearing' | 'I was raped and my counsellor asked me what I had been wearing' |
| (5 months later) | |
| When Danielle Dryke was flown back to the US after being raped while she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali in 2004, she had given little thought to the treatment she would receive. Still struggling to come to terms with what had happened, the 22-year-old’s thoughts were mostly focused on how she could return to Mali as quickly as possible to complete her assignment in a community she had grown to love. | When Danielle Dryke was flown back to the US after being raped while she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali in 2004, she had given little thought to the treatment she would receive. Still struggling to come to terms with what had happened, the 22-year-old’s thoughts were mostly focused on how she could return to Mali as quickly as possible to complete her assignment in a community she had grown to love. |
| Just a few days into her counselling sessions provided by Peace Corps, she began to realise that her own behaviour on the night of the attack was coming under the spotlight. “My counsellor asked me to explain every choice I had made before, during and after the attack,” she says. “I was asked what I had been wearing – even things like whether I’d considered if my footwear had been appropriate if I needed to make a hasty escape.” The counsellor discussed the fact that Dryke had been drinking on the night of the attack – something she had avoided almost completely during her assignment – and she was sent for a specialist alcohol assessment. | Just a few days into her counselling sessions provided by Peace Corps, she began to realise that her own behaviour on the night of the attack was coming under the spotlight. “My counsellor asked me to explain every choice I had made before, during and after the attack,” she says. “I was asked what I had been wearing – even things like whether I’d considered if my footwear had been appropriate if I needed to make a hasty escape.” The counsellor discussed the fact that Dryke had been drinking on the night of the attack – something she had avoided almost completely during her assignment – and she was sent for a specialist alcohol assessment. |
| Having just been raped I was already blaming myself, but now I found that external forces were reinforcing that message | Having just been raped I was already blaming myself, but now I found that external forces were reinforcing that message |
| As the counselling progressed, Dryke says she realised there were certain rules. She was told that if she was still in counselling after 45 days her contract would be terminated, her emails to Peace Corps staff were read by her counsellor and discussed at the sessions, and she was reminded that the decision about whether she would return was not hers to make. “I had been open and honest at the beginning, but then very quickly I began to think twice in case what I was saying might mean I couldn’t go back,” says Dryke. | As the counselling progressed, Dryke says she realised there were certain rules. She was told that if she was still in counselling after 45 days her contract would be terminated, her emails to Peace Corps staff were read by her counsellor and discussed at the sessions, and she was reminded that the decision about whether she would return was not hers to make. “I had been open and honest at the beginning, but then very quickly I began to think twice in case what I was saying might mean I couldn’t go back,” says Dryke. |
| Despite Dryke knowing the name and address of her attacker, no attempt was made to report the rape to the police in Mali. Dryke’s counsellor discussed the possibility that cultural norms in west Africa probably meant that her attacker didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. “Having just been raped I was already to some extent blaming myself, but now I found that external forces were reinforcing that message. I was in such a vulnerable position I couldn’t see how wrong it was,” she says. | Despite Dryke knowing the name and address of her attacker, no attempt was made to report the rape to the police in Mali. Dryke’s counsellor discussed the possibility that cultural norms in west Africa probably meant that her attacker didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. “Having just been raped I was already to some extent blaming myself, but now I found that external forces were reinforcing that message. I was in such a vulnerable position I couldn’t see how wrong it was,” she says. |
| The therapy sessions moved on to asking Dryke to suggest ways she could make herself more “safe” if she was to return to Mali. Desperate to get back, she eventually agreed to write and sign a letter of intent sharing steps she would take, including never drinking again on her placement. The final draft of the letter that Dryke signed began with the statement: “I have learned many hard lessons through this experience, and recognise first and foremost that I have let myself down in a series of poor judgements.” | The therapy sessions moved on to asking Dryke to suggest ways she could make herself more “safe” if she was to return to Mali. Desperate to get back, she eventually agreed to write and sign a letter of intent sharing steps she would take, including never drinking again on her placement. The final draft of the letter that Dryke signed began with the statement: “I have learned many hard lessons through this experience, and recognise first and foremost that I have let myself down in a series of poor judgements.” |
| Dryke did eventually return to Mali to complete her placement working with women starting a mobile bank, but she now understands that she may have gone back too soon. For several years she could barely discuss the circumstances of the attack and had nagging feelings of self-blame. “It took until this year to walk out of the house with my glasses on and not worry about whether they would compromise my ability to respond if something were to happen to me,” she says. “Because of the degree to which I’d internalised the messages I’d received during treatment, it took me years not to judge other women for what they were wearing in terms of risk. I’m so sad to admit that.” | Dryke did eventually return to Mali to complete her placement working with women starting a mobile bank, but she now understands that she may have gone back too soon. For several years she could barely discuss the circumstances of the attack and had nagging feelings of self-blame. “It took until this year to walk out of the house with my glasses on and not worry about whether they would compromise my ability to respond if something were to happen to me,” she says. “Because of the degree to which I’d internalised the messages I’d received during treatment, it took me years not to judge other women for what they were wearing in terms of risk. I’m so sad to admit that.” |
| When the role of the Peace Corps victims’ advocate was created in 2011, Dryke thought that it was an important step forward because it had for the first time put someone “on the side” of the survivors. Dryke’s personal wish was that it might facilitate a review of the questionable policy of Peace Corps being simultaneously responsible for providing victims’ counselling and making the decision of whether they could return to their placements. | When the role of the Peace Corps victims’ advocate was created in 2011, Dryke thought that it was an important step forward because it had for the first time put someone “on the side” of the survivors. Dryke’s personal wish was that it might facilitate a review of the questionable policy of Peace Corps being simultaneously responsible for providing victims’ counselling and making the decision of whether they could return to their placements. |
| “Eleven years later I can see how completely inappropriate that was,” she says. “My counsellor honestly thought she was helping me but the power dynamics were completely wrong. I ended up not talking about my feelings because I was too afraid of saying the wrong thing and that they wouldn’t allow me to return to Mali.” | “Eleven years later I can see how completely inappropriate that was,” she says. “My counsellor honestly thought she was helping me but the power dynamics were completely wrong. I ended up not talking about my feelings because I was too afraid of saying the wrong thing and that they wouldn’t allow me to return to Mali.” |
| Dryke now works as a senior research analyst for non-profits. She was inspired to speak out about her treatment after hearing other Peace Corps volunteers go public with their stories. The more she hears the more she feels that the attitudes she encountered at Peace Corps are embedded in society: “Victim-blaming attitudes are everywhere. I think you’d have a hard time finding any survivor who hasn’t been asked victim-blaming questions or had it implied to them by someone they’ve encountered in the aftermath.” | Dryke now works as a senior research analyst for non-profits. She was inspired to speak out about her treatment after hearing other Peace Corps volunteers go public with their stories. The more she hears the more she feels that the attitudes she encountered at Peace Corps are embedded in society: “Victim-blaming attitudes are everywhere. I think you’d have a hard time finding any survivor who hasn’t been asked victim-blaming questions or had it implied to them by someone they’ve encountered in the aftermath.” |
| A spokesperson for Peace Corps said: “Due to privacy laws and considerations we cannot discuss specific cases. However, I can say that Peace Corps takes all allegations of sexual assault seriously, as well as any information we receive from a volunteer who feels mistreated in the response they received from our organisation. Our commitment to doing so is demonstrated in the more than 30 policy reforms put in place beginning in 2013, including full implementation of the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act. These reforms are ongoing, and as a part of our reform process we also evaluate allegations such as the one mentioned here which occurred before we began implementing broad policy changes.” | A spokesperson for Peace Corps said: “Due to privacy laws and considerations we cannot discuss specific cases. However, I can say that Peace Corps takes all allegations of sexual assault seriously, as well as any information we receive from a volunteer who feels mistreated in the response they received from our organisation. Our commitment to doing so is demonstrated in the more than 30 policy reforms put in place beginning in 2013, including full implementation of the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act. These reforms are ongoing, and as a part of our reform process we also evaluate allegations such as the one mentioned here which occurred before we began implementing broad policy changes.” |
| • If you are have been affected by the story in this article, Rape Crisis England and Wales or Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network can provide support. If you are not in the UK or the US, Hot Peach Pages provides a directory of gender-based violence organisations all over the world. | • If you are have been affected by the story in this article, Rape Crisis England and Wales or Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network can provide support. If you are not in the UK or the US, Hot Peach Pages provides a directory of gender-based violence organisations all over the world. |
| Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow @GuardianGDP on Twitter. | Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow @GuardianGDP on Twitter. |
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