Print

Introduction The fact that one in every six women will experience rape in their life- time is rationale for any book about the topic. While statistically speaking few of these rapes will be prosecuted, people who find themselves in this situation have long needed a book that addresses their experience in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner. This book is primarily aimed at those who are at an age when they are more likely to have this trau- matic experience than at any other time in their lives—people in their late teens and early twenties. While some people go through life without having an experience of sexual assault, rape, or dating or domestic vio- lence, there are enough of us out there that a book that seeks to answer our questions makes a lot of sense. This book is aimed at young adults who are just beginning intimate relationships and need some guidance in how to form mutually satisfying relationships that respect the needs of each partner. Our culture does a pretty poor job of providing guidance on this topic, and this book hopes to provide some of that guidance. In addition to rape and sexual assault, this book also looks at dating and domestic violence, as they are also com- mon in our culture, and it looks at how rape culture perpetuates gen- dered stereotypes that hurt everyone—male, female, cisgender, trans, and LGBTQIA+. This book was created during the #MeToo era, and the interest in hold- ing people accountable for their sexual assaults and rapes does not seem