Confronting Rape and Sexual Assault

Edited by Jody Clay-Warner, Mary E. Odem

Publication date:

01 December 1997

Length of book:

292 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9780842025980

So serious are the topics of rape and sexual assault that the mere discussion of them is often avoided. In this book, Mary Odem and Jody Clay-Warner examine the complex and painful issue of sexual violence from various perspectives, including sociology, criminology, anthropology, public health, and women's studies. The inclusion of personal accounts from women who have been raped or threatened by rape makes this collection particularly accessible, compelling, and powerful. An essay details one woman's long struggle as a rape survivor, a poem describes the fear of rape and society's treatment of the victim, and a sonnet traces the journey from victim to survivor. Not only does this invaluable collection define and examine the prevalence of rape and sexual assault, but it analyzes social and institutional factors that contribute to their occurrence and provides strategies for prevention and change.

Part 1 Speaking Out
Chapter 2 Rape Poem
Chapter 3 Surviving Rape: A Morning/Mourning Ritual
Chapter 4 Rape Sonnets
Chapter 5 Mikvah Ceremony for Laura
Part 6 II Defining the Problem
Chapter 7 A Feminist Redefinition of Rape and Sexual Assault: Historical Foundations and Change
Chapter 8 Hidden Rape: Sexual Aggression and Victimization in a National Sample of Students in Higher Education
Chapter 9 Wife Rape and the law
Chapter 10 The Effects of Sexual Assault on Men: A Survey of Twenty-two Victims
Part 11 III Why Rape Happens
Chapter 12 The Socio-Cultural Context of Rape: A Cross-Cultural Study
Chapter 13 "Riding the Bull at Gilley's": Convicted Rapists Describe the Rewards of Rape
Chapter 14 Rape Myths
Chapter 15 Sexual Aggression, Masculinity, and Fathers
Part 16 IV Institutional and Cultural Context
Chapter 17 Fraternities and Rape on Campus
Chapter 18 Mass Media, Sexual Violence, and Male Viewers
Chapter 19 Rape, Racism, and the Law
Chapter 20 Gender, Ethnicity, and Sexual Assault: Findings from a Los Angeles Study
Part 21 V Strategies for Change
Chapter 22 The Effects of Resistance Strategies on Rape
Chapter 23 Organizational and Community Transformation: The Case of a Rape Crisis Center
Chapter 24 Rape and the Law
Chapter 25 Clarence, Willian, Iron Mike, Tailhook, Senator Packwood, Spur Posse, Magic . . . and Us

Finally, a truly superb volume on the topic of sexual assault. I highly recommend it. There are valuable pieces for everyone here—students, scholars, and those wanting to learn more about the subject of rape and sexual aggression, its impract on victims, and strategies for change.