This innovative book looks at popular perceptions of sexual violence and asks such key questions as: How is rape' defined? Who is responsible for sexual assault? How can rape be prevented? The author critically examines feminist and psychological theory and research on attitudes towards rape. Drawing on case studies, survey research, experiments, fieldwork and action-oriented research from Europe, North America and Asia, Ward combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to understanding sexual violence. She highlights the negative consequences for rape victims of biased and prejudicial perceptions of sexual violence, including those of legal, medical and helping professionals, and discusses the impact of these attitudes on victims' self-perceptions. The book concludes by suggesting strategies for changing ideas about sexual assault, including, for example, action-oriented research which is designed to raise consciousness and improve services for victims.

Rape: The Misunderstood Crime is an excellent resource for professionals and students of psychology, sociology, education, social work, criminal justice, and law who seek to dispel "rape myths" and wish to better understand the nature and dynamics of both the rapist and the victim.

DIVDIVSusan Brownmiller’s groundbreaking bestseller uncovers the culture of violence against women with a devastating exploration of the history of rape—now with a new preface by the author exposing the undercurrents of rape still present today/divDIV Rape, as author Susan Brownmiller proves in her startling and important book, is not about sex but about power, fear, and subjugation. For thousands of years, it has been viewed as an acceptable “spoil of war,” used as a weapon by invading armies to crush the will of the conquered. The act of rape against women has long been cloaked in lies and false justifications./divDIV It is ignored, tolerated, even encouraged by governments and military leaders, misunderstood by police and security organizations, freely employed by domineering husbands and lovers, downplayed by medical and legal professionals more inclined to “blame the victim,” and, perhaps most shockingly, accepted in supposedly civilized societies worldwide, including the United States./divDIV Against Our Will is a classic work that has been widely credited with changing prevailing attitudes about violence against women by awakening the public to the true and continuing tragedy of rape around the globe and throughout the ages./divDIV Selected by the New York Times Book Review as an Outstanding Book of the Year and included among the New York Public Library’s Books of the Century, Against Our Will remains an essential work of sociological and historical importance./divDIV/div/div

A selection of interviews with men from every walk of American life provides original insights into, and disturbing revelations about the male attitude toward sexual violence in modern society

From its origins in academic discourse in the 1970s to our collective imagination today, the concept of “rape culture” has resonated in a variety of spheres, including television, gaming, comic book culture, and college campuses. Beyond Blurred Lines traces ways that sexual violence is collectively processed, mediated, negotiated, and contested by exploring public reactions to high-profile incidents and rape narratives in popular culture. The concept of rape culture was initially embraced in popular media – mass media, social media, and popular culture – and contributed to a social understanding of sexual violence that mirrored feminist concerns about the persistence of rape myths and victim-blaming. However, it was later challenged by skeptics who framed the concept as a moral panic. Nickie D. Phillips documents how the conversation shifted from substantiating claims of a rape culture toward growing scrutiny of the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses. This, in turn, renewed attention toward false allegations, and away from how college enforcement policies fail victims to how they endanger accused young men. Ultimately, she successfully lends insight into how the debates around rape culture, including microaggressions, gendered harassment and so-called political correctness, inform our collective imaginations and shape our attitudes toward criminal justice and policy responses to sexual violence.

Treatment of Family Violence A Sourcebook Edited by Robert T. Ammerman and Michel Hersen This book examines the current status of therapeutic approaches for families engaged in abuse or neglect. It offers critical explorations of the various types of family violence and the interventions developed to remediate or prevent maltreatment. One of the first surveys of the literature for all major forms of family violence, this book reflects cross-disciplinary and multitheoretical approaches to its treatment and prevention. 1990 (0 471-61023-2) 461 pp. Secret Survivors Uncovering Incest and Its Aftereffects in Women E. Sue Blume "This book should be read by every adult abused as a child and by every person who loves them … should be required reading for every medical student, every criminal and every person from judge to jailor in the criminal justice system." —Elizabeth Morgan, MD This is the first book on incest that focuses not on what incest is, but what it does to those scarred by it. Based on Blume’s widely adopted "Incest Survivor’s Aftereffects Checklist," now a standard diagnostic tool for clinicians and counselors, it offers a clear path towards a rich and empowered life, and toward breaking the cycle of incest. 1990 (0 471-61843-8) 326 pp. Multiple Personality Disorder Diagnosis, Clinical Features, and Treatment Colin A. Ross This important book offers a comprehensive account of the history, etiology, diagnosis, phenomenology, and treatment of multiple personality disorder (MPD). While it offers a stimulating account of the cultural history of MPD, it also provides the most detailed description of both general principles and specific treatment methods currently available. Multiple Personality Disorder is an indispensable addition to the reference libraries of sexual abuse clinics, child abuse agencies, and correctional organizations. 1989 (0 471-61515-3) 380 pp.