An estimated 77 out of every 100,000 females in the United States were raped in 1994. The FBI recently estimated that 37 percent of all rapes are reported to law enforcement officials, and the Department of Justice found that only 26 percent of all rapes or attempted rapes are reported to authorities. It is the false assumptions and attitudes about rape that have the most insidious effects on survivors of rape, friends and family members of rape victims, and society in general. One myth is that rape is typically committed by habitual rapists who prey on women they do not know. In fact, however, most rapes occur between individuals who know each other, i.e., neighbors, coworkers, friends, or lovers. Adherence to this myth has the effect of diminishing the seriousness of date or acquaintance rape as viewed by police, prosecutors, juries, and the victims themselves. Other myths about rape may take one of three general forms: women cannot be raped against their will; women secretly wish to be raped; and most accusations of rape are false (Brownmiller, 1975). As long as there is an acceptance of rape myths, rape will continue to be a problem of epidemic proportions. Regarding motivations for rape, power is the most common motivation. Rape becomes the means of compensating for offender feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. The goals of the power rapist are not to harm and humiliate, but rather to conquer and possess another; sex becomes the means of establishing this kind of power. Anger rapes are the result of pent-up hostilities that erupt. Through rape, the anger is released, at least temporarily. Anger rapists have a pattern of allowing their anger and hostilities to build until another explosion and another rape. To the sadistic rapist, violent behavior is sexually arousing, and the more violent, the more sexually arousing it becomes. This is the least common motivation for rape. In examining the consequences of rape, this chapter considers rape trauma syndrome and supportive services for rape victims. A section on rape prevention focuses on what can be done to prevent victimization, such as forceful physical and verbal resistance, as well as escape techniques. Rape, however, is not just the concern of potential victims but society as a whole. Society has the responsibility of educating and conditioning young male children and juveniles to view women as equals, who are not to be viewed or treated as props for the release of anger or the exercise of power. 54 references and 4 discussion questions