A powerful feminist examination of the deeply ingrained roots of rape in our shared cultural values Rape is the most frequently occurring violent crime in America. In this courageous, controversial, and groundbreaking work, the poet, feminist, and philosopher Susan Griffin examines rape as an inevitable result of a culture that celebrates and rewards aggressive sexual behavior in men, and one in which male dominance and female submissiveness have long been considered natural. With razor-sharp intelligence, clear-eyed candor, and surprising lyricism, Griffin explores the psychological, historical, political, and societal underpinnings of this devastating act, which cruelly denies a victim her self-determination. By viewing the dark phenomenon of rape through the lens of her personal experience-and through the words of injured parties, writers, legal agencies, and the media-Griffin's powerful discourse is an essential contribution to feminist thought and literature.
"Susan Griffin has written a movingly beautiful book. . . . Decisively connecting feminist consciousness and religious experience, [she] gives us all the hope that we may live someday in a world without rape."
Unitarian Universalist World
"Susan Griffin is one of a growing number of contemporary women artists who, not content simply to represent what has gone unmentioned, see their work as a force for change."
Unitarian Universalist World
"A scintillating and enthralling feminist thinker."
