Rape and Woman's Identity.

Abstract

Rape is an assault on a woman's identity, reputation, and sense of self, according to the author. Sanders originally intended to study the interaction of police and rape victims, but found it necessary to widen the scope of his research to include the legal, cultural, and social context of rape; its typical physical process; the reasons for it; and its effect on victims. What emerges is a study of rape from every possible viewpoint -- one that leads the author to a discussion of sex role and self in society. 'Altogether, this book is eminently readable. It is written in a simple, comprehensive style, very rare in works employing a dramaturgical, ethnomethodological approach. The chapters and sections are short and peppered with case studies to keep the reader's attention. I couldn't put the book down. I would recommend it as a useful addition to any criminology library.' -- The Kingston Law Review, Vol 10 No 3, December 1980