ABSTRACT
Women of all ages, races, social classes, and educational backgrounds are vulnerable to rape. Many state laws now define rape as sexual penetration of an adult or adolescent without consent and by physical force, by threat of bodily harm, or inability to consent because of mental illness, retardation, or intoxication. Rape is an assault on the physical, psychological, social, and sexual dimensions of a victim’s life. Rape is one of the most underreported crimes. It has been estimated that only one in five rapes is reported to law enforcement agencies. Rape occurs in virtually any setting. Many rapes are not spontaneous but are planned by the rapist. Most rapists know their victims and they may target a specific person and attempt to draw her into a situation in which the rape can be successfully completed with a minimum of risk to the rapist.
