The United States has the highest rate of reported rapes in the world. In 1990, women in the United States were 8 times more likely to report being raped than were European women, 26 times more likely than Japanese, and 46 times more likely than Greek women (Mann, 1991). However, the incidence of rape varies […]

Although the majority of the research has examined gender differences in attitudes about rape, there is also research on ethnicity differences in rape attitudes. Overall, eth­nic minorities have been found to have more traditional attitudes toward women, which has been found to affect rape attitudes (Fischer, 1987). For example, among college stu­dents, non-Hispanic whites are […]

Researchers have used many techniques to measure attitudes about rape and rape vic­tims, such as questionnaires, written vignettes, mock trials, videotaped scenarios, still photography, and newspaper reports. Gender research has found that overall, men are less empathetic and sensitive than women toward rape, and they attribute more respon­sibility to the victim (Nagel et al., 2005; […]

Finally, a controversial theory on the origins of rape comes out of evolutionary theory. Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer, authors of Natural History of Rape: Biological Bases of Sexual Coercion, propose that rape is rooted in human evolution (Thornhill & Palmer, 2000) . According to evolutionary theory, men and women have developed differing re­productive strategies, […]

Sociological theory and feminist theory have much in common; in fact, many feminist theorists are sociologists. Sociologists believe that rape is an expression of power differ­entials in society (Martin, 2003). When men feel disempowered by society, by changing sex roles or by their jobs, overpowering women with the symbol of their masculinity (a penis) reinforces, […]

Feminist theorists contend that rape and the threat of rape are tools used in our society to keep women in their place. This fear keeps women in traditional sex roles, which are subordinate to men’s. Feminist theorists believe that the social, economic, and political separation of the genders has encouraged rape, which is viewed as […]

them into the false assumption that it could not happen to them or someone close to them because they would not act like “those other women.” If we believe bad things hap­pen to people who take risks, then we are safe if we do not take those risks. In the ma­jority of rapes, however, women […]

he term "date-rape drug" is slang for any drug that may be used during a sexual assault. This —^would include Rohypnol (also called rooties, Forget Pill, or Mind Eraser), gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB; also called Liquid Ecstasy, Georgia Home Boy, or Easy Lay), and Ketamine (also called Special K, Kit Kat, or Cat Valium). Today […]

SEX in Real Life The United States Department of Justice reported 72,240 rapes and 44,650 attempted rapes in 2003 (U. S. Department of Justice-Office of Justice Programs, 2005). This trans­lates into someone being sexually assaulted every 21/) minutes in the United States (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, 2005). Although the incidence of reported rape […]

For most mammals, penile penetration of a female by a male is done only when the fe­male is in estrus, or “heat” as it is commonly called. However, forced penetration is com­mon in a wide variety of animal species (Lalumiere et al., 2005b); for instance, male orangutans often engage in forced mating and vicious biting […]