Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:405-408
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
It is always the woman who is raped
D Metzger
Rape is described as an act of power that is sanctioned by literature,
myth, and culture. Rape is a dire experience for women because it implies
total loss of self--the woman is a function, not a person. The victim
experiences total emptiness and isolation from self and society. The author
believes that an effective "treatment" for the rape victim is community.
Women asserting themselves by speaking out about their experience validate
themselves as persons.
