NCJ Number
86451
Date Published
1982
Length
186 pages
Annotation
This book assembles viewpoints on rape held by men from all walks of life, with emphasis on professions involved in assisting victimized women after surviving a rape experience.
Abstract
Early chapters discuss consequences of the fear of rape that pervades all aspects of women's lives, the rape signs which abound in the culture and the language, enabling men to express ideas and feelings about rape without really acknowledging them. The 'pornographization' of men's relationships to women is revealed, explaining the motivations behind blaming women for acts of rape. In essence, the book pleads for a new consciousness among men that relates to women as people instead of property. Rape incidence and its subconscious acceptance by most men is deemed to be far beyond the controls of law enforcement. An interview with a rapist is followed by quotations from the men closest to the rape victims -- husbands, lovers, friends. Also interviewed are lawyers, doctors, and policemen. In conclusion, a female advocate for rape victims responds to this collection, pointing out that the underlying assumption behind these interviews is still that if somehow women would change their behavior, men might stop raping. The appendix contains a directory of organizations for men against rape.