Rape is one of the most feared events in the lives of many women (Rozee & Koss, 2001). There is no clear definition of rape (Frieze, 2005). It is seen differently by those who have experienced various types of forced sex and by therapists, other helpgivers and those in the legal fields (Kahn & Mathie, 2000). In one large US study of college women, only 46% of the women defined by the researchers as being raped thought of their own experiences as ‘rape’ (Fisher et al., 2000). However, even those who do not define what happened to them as ‘rape’ may suffer psychological or physical symptoms.

Rape is defined in various ways by different legal codes, but basically involves forced sexual contact. The most common form of rape involves a male perpetrator and a female victim, but other forms also exist. The rapist may be a complete stranger, someone who casually knows the victim, or someone who is well known. Marital rape is increasingly being recognized as a crime.

Studies attempting to determine the prevalence of rape provide widely varying estimates, depending on the specific definition of ‘rape’, the sample questioned and the methodologies used. Acts that are legally defined as rape may not be perceived as such by the victim. And, many rapes are never reported to authorities.