Rape Is Rape: How Denial, Distortion, and Victim Blaming Are Fueling a Hidden Acquaintance Rape Crisis

“More than half of women and girls lie about rape . . .” “Feminists exaggerate rape prevalence to demonize men and raise money for their cause . . .” “Girls cry ‘rape’ when it’s nothing more than regret over bad sex . . .” Such emotionally charged false accusations have convinced much of the general public and the media that acquaintance rape is a figment of the imagination. As author Jody Raphael reveals in Rape Is Rape, the more acquaintance rape is reported and taken seriously by prosecutors, judges, and juries, the louder the clamor of rape denial becomes.

Through firsthand interviews with victims, medical and judicial records, social media analysis, and statistics from government agencies, Rape Is Rape exposes the tactics used by the deniers, a group that includes conservatives and right-wing Christians as well as some controversial feminists. The personal stories of young acquaintance rape victims whom Raphael interviewed demonstrate how assaults on their credibility, buttressed by claims of low prevalence, prevent many from holding their rapists accountable, enabling them to rape others with impunity. Rape Is Rape is an exposé of those using rape denial to further their political agendas, and it is a call to action to protect the rights of women and girls, making it safe for victims to come forward, and end the acquaintance rape crisis. A resources section is included for those seeking help, advice, or hoping to get involved.

Jody Raphael, JD, is an attorney and a nationally known researcher, lecturer, and advocate on issues of violence against women. She is the author of Freeing Tammy: Women, Drugs, and Incarceration; Listening to Olivia: Violence, Poverty, and Prostitution; and Saving Bernice: Battered Women, Welfare, and Poverty.