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Father-Daughter Rape

NCJ Number
105012
Author(s)
E Ward
Date Published
1985
Length
253 pages
Annotation

This book presents actual case studies of women who were victims of incestual sex abuse and discusses the psychology of the victim, offender, and the immediate family members.

Abstract

In almost all cases, the sexual offender was the father or step-father. The cases illustrate that in all situtations, the rape victim wanted to tell someone and some tried, but in most cases they were not heard. It is believed that the rape victim's call for help, which is frequently directed toward the mother, is ignored by the mother because acknowledging the rape poses a threat to a cohesive family structure. The mother's powerlessness often reaffirms the daughter's feelings of powerlessness and frequently prevents the daughter from putting a stop to the sexual abuse. Father-daughter rape may continue for many years because the victim has no one to turn to. Another problem of incest stems from the fact that most children are taught that danger lies outside the home and not in the family. These children are unaware that any harm can occur to them within the home. Children may sense that their fathers' fondling of them is wrong, but since they are not accustomed to being exposed to harm in the home and are accustomed to being controlled by their parents, they may continue to permit themselves to be used as sexual objects. It is advised that children be taught to say no to any known individual who poses a threat to them, even if it is their own father. In examining father-daughter rape within the context of Freudian psychology, the book emphasizes that rape is about power and not sexuality, as is often believed. Rape is often prompted by the perception that women are accessible, powerless victims. It is concluded that as long as the male has power to rule, rape will continue. 13 pages of references.