This work is an authoritative one-stop resource for understanding the problem of sexual assault in the United States, including societal factors, notorious cases, laws and practices, victim advocacy and reform efforts, and keys to recovery.

This authoritative, balanced resource examines the problem of sexual violence in our society, exploring the various factors that contribute to these crimes and the difficulty of prosecuting many offenses. It discusses who is being victimized, who is perpetrating the offenses, and what can be done (and is being done) to reduce rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

The volume also explores the role that both poor prosecutorial leadership and rape culture have played in facilitating sexual assault and abuse and how shifts in attitude and policy could work to prevent the assaults from occurring. One of the most valuable aspects of the book is that it surveys the history of rape and sexual assault in a manner that helps the reader identify key issues in an easy-to-understand fashion. In addition, the volume's Perspectives section presents a broad range of voices on important aspects of sexual assault and recovery, allowing crucial, diverse perspectives to round out the author's expertise.

• Includes in-depth narrative chapters on historical trends, contemporary issues, and changing laws related to rape and sexual assault
• Provides insightful first-person "perspective" essays from victims of sexual assault and advocates for reforms of U.S. laws and cultural attitudes related to sexual violence, abuse, and harassment
• Includes tables, figures, and excerpts from primary sources, all of which enhance reader understanding of the scale of the issue and trends in how American society sees the problem
• Features leads to plentiful resources for readers to consult to learn more about issues related to rape and other forms of sexual violence