Pharmacotherapy to Blunt Memories of Sexual Violence: What's a Feminist to Think?

Abstract

It has recently been discovered that propranolol-a beta-blocker traditionally used to treat cardiac arrhythmias and hypertension-might disrupt the formation of the emotionally disturbing memories that typically occur in the wake of traumatic events and consequently prevent the onset of trauma-induced psychological injuries such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. One context in which the use of propranolol is generating interest in both the popular and scientific press is sexual violence. Nevertheless, feminists have so far not weighed in on propranolol. I suggest that the time is ripe for a careful feminist analysis of the moral and political implications of propranolol use in the context of sexual violence. In this paper, I map the feminist issues potentially raised by providing propranolol to victims of sexual assault, focusing in particular on the compatibility of propranolol use and availability with an understanding of the social and systematic dimensions of rape's harms. I do not deliver a final verdict on propranolol; in fact, I show that we do not yet have enough information about propranolol's effects to do so. Rather, I provide a feminist framework for evaluating the possibilities and perils opened up by therapeutic memory manipulation in the context of sexual violence against women.It has recently been discovered that propranolol-a beta-blocker traditionally used to treat cardiac arrhythmias and hypertension-might disrupt the formation of the emotionally disturbing memories that typically occur in the wake of traumatic events and consequently prevent the onset of trauma-induced psychological injuries such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).One context in which the prospect of administering propranolol to ward off post-traumatic psychological injury is generating interest is sexual violence.

Neurophysiology and Psychopathology Underlying PTSD and Recent Insights into the PTSD Therapies—A Comprehensive Review

“…This drug is prescribed for PTSD patients because it can prevent retrieval of emotionally disturbing memories of PTSD-inducing traumatic events. Thus, it may diminish the psychopathological and neurophysiological alterations from the onset of trauma-induced PTSD [ 118 ]. Exposure to the combat-related stimuli can induce both enhanced autonomic reactivity, analgesia, and conditioned fear stimuli in war veterans.…”

Another Look at the Legal and Ethical Consequences of Pharmacological Memory Dampening: The Case of Sexual Assault

“…Second, much of the published ethico-legal analysis considers the concerns raised by memory dampening generally although the significance of these concerns may vary according to trauma type. 13 Thus, we feel that analysis at the more fine-grained level of a specific trauma type such as sexual assault is more useful than at the level of trauma in general. For example, many sexual assaults take place in private such that corroborating evidence is less likely to exist than in, for example, prosecutions for criminally negligent driving.…”