NCJ Number
163627
Date Published
1996
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This volume covers salient issues involved in a trauma of epidemic proportions, the crime of acquaintance rape; volume contributors include researchers, clinicians, and consultants who examine current knowledge and techniques related to various aspects of acquaintance rape.
Abstract
Reluctance to address the topic of acquaintance rape has been challenged by several high-profile public cases and by a number of significant research reports involving the issue of rape and sexual harassment. Recent research suggests that between 50 and 90 percent of females represented in various clinical samples report a history of rape or other forms of sexual assault. Recognizing the problem of acquaintance rape, the volume is organized to provide practitioners with information on many different issues concerning acquaintance rape. Chapters focus on definitional issues involving the continuum of sexual assault, incidence and prevalence data for rape and sexual assault, factors that allow rape to continue at an unabated pace (societal issues, situational circumstances, mistaken perceptions, blame factors, and cultural responses to victims and perpetrators), characteristics of rapists, sexual assault victims, assessment and treatment issues, rape education and prevention programs, and rape treatment programs. Three major components of the legal definition of rape are identified: (1) carnal knowledge of a person (sexual penetration); (2) lack of consent to carnal knowledge; and (3) use of force or threat of force to accomplish the act. Statistics are presented which indicate 102,000 rapes were reported in the United States in 1994. The authors point out, however, that rape actually occurs between 2.5 and 10 times as often as it is reported. 29 references