NCJ Number
112786
Editor(s)
E Sweet
Date Published
1988
Length
229 pages
Annotation
Survey results, scholarly research, and first-person accounts are combined to explain what acquaintance rape is, how it happens, why it remains an unacknowledged crime, and preventive strategies.
Abstract
The book first reviews research on acquaintance rape, with attention to a survey of 32 college campuses conducted by Ms. Magazine and Psychologist Mary P. Koss. Case studies illustrate the four most common categories of acquaintance rape victims: teenagers, college students, young single working women, and older women. Factors that contribute to the widespread occurrence of acquaintance rape are examined, including dating rituals, interpersonal violence, miscommunication, alcohol and drugs, and social attitudes. The book explores why women's reactions to rape make them safe victims, explains the aftereffects of acquaintance rape, and profiles the acquaintance rapist. Other chapters focus on gang rapes and the responses of police, courts, and universities. Step-by-step methods for women to protect themselves and to help men stop committing acquaintance rape are described. Bibliography, resource list, and index.