ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates the sociopolitical origins and processes which shape the production of science and the production of scientific evidence. It addresses the manner in which rape trauma syndrome (RTS) evidence is used by the law and some of the sociopolitical consequences of the use of such evidence for the law, for the individuals involved and for society in general. The emergence of RTS and rape reform laws in general can be traced to the women’s movement, particularly in the United States. In the early and mid-1970s women began organizing and speaking out about rape and violence against women. As women began to speak publicly about their experiences of rape and battering, the mental health profession began to take notice. Until 1970 there was virtually no professional literature at all on women’s reactions to rape. During the 1970s a combination of forces led to the revision of rape laws.
