NCJ Number
113114
Date Published
1988
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Marital rape, one of the forms of family violence that remains legal in many States, is probably fairly commonplace.
Abstract
Studies of marital rape have found that 10 to 39 percent of women have experienced some form of forced sex, and that the incidence is particularly high among physically abused women. Indepth interviews with 55 women whose husbands had used force or threats of force to secure sexual compliance identified three groups of victims: battered women, women in relationships with specifically sexual conflicts, and women whose husbands had bizarre sexual obsessions. While incidents varied in the amount of force used and victim resistance, many women offered little resistance. Fear of additional physical abuse, self-blame, and the futility of resistance were among reasons given for not defending against a sexual attack. In marital rape, victims may be traumatized in their ability to trust intimates. In addition, the victim must continue to live with the perpetrator. It is only within the past 10 years that marital rape has been criminalized in some jurisdictions. The retention of the spousal exemption is reflective of societal attitudes toward male and female sex-roles and the marital relationship. Despite some reforms in laws, marital rape offenders are rarely brought to court. Consequently, it is the responsibility of a variety of professionals to educate themselves about the problem and begin helping victims. 22 references.