Rethinking Rape in the American Cultural and Literary Landscape

Abstract

The introduction establishes the urgency of the feminist project of the 1970s to challenge the prevalent rape myths of the twentieth century: rape does not exist; women should simply enjoy sex even when they are forced into the act; and violent sex is pornographic and titillating, but not a crime. Earlier representations of rape in American fiction were not told through the perspective of the victim; instead, an unsympathetic bystander or even the perpetrator recounts the events. Women began portraying rape as rape—as a violent, nonconsensual act—once second-wave feminists challenged rape myths through consciousness-raising sessions, publications, and public activism. The resultant new genre of fiction, the rape novel, prioritizes the survivor and her physical and psychological trauma. The rape novel works to change the culture that allows rape and sexual violence to occur, demonstrating the transformative power of literature to educate, inspire activism, and promote healing.