The findings reported indicate support for the Marxist hypothesis that areas where women enjoy a higher absolute status--rape rates will be lower. Support is also given for the radical feminist hypothesis which suggests that rape rates are higher in cities where women approach socioeconomic parity with men. The traditional radical feminist hypothesis predicting an ameliorative effect of gender equality on rape rates (that gender equality is associated with lower rape rates) was not supported. Taken together, the results indicate support for the socialist feminist model: that society is simultaneously structured along both class and gender lines. Employing measures of women’s status relative to men, this study examined the liberal, radical, and socialist feminist concerns of gender equality and rape rates. The study utilized a sample of 238 United States cities with a population of 100,000 or more in the year 2000. Appendix and references