THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS BEGINS AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE THAT BOYS AND GIRLS IN NURSERY SCHOOL SHOW DIFFERENTIAL BEHAVIOR WHEN FACED WITH A SITUATION INVOLVING AGGRESSION. THE NURSERY TALES, TELEVISION PROGRAMS, AND PARENTAL EXPECTATIONS WHICH ENCOURAGE BOYS TO BE ACTIVE AND GIRLS PASSIVE ARE EXAMINED. IN MANY HOMES CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO VICTIMIZATION OF WOMEN IN THE FORM OF WIFE BEATING, WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO CHILD BEATING. AGGRESSION IN THE HOME COMBINED WITH AGGRESSTION IN THE CULTURE SETS THE STAGE FOR AGGRESSION ON THE STREET, OF WHICH RAPE IS ONE MANIFESTATION. THE AGGRESSIVE MALE SUBCULTURES OF THE STREET, OF THE PRISON, AND OF COLLEGE ARE EXAMINED. THE ACT OF RAPE AS A POLITICAL TOOL, FORMERLY COMMITTED BY WHITE MEN AGAINST BLACK WOMEN AND NOW BY BLACK MEN AGAINST WHITE WOMEN IS EXAMINED. THEN PSYCHOLOGICALLY ABNORMAL RAPISTS ARE DISCUSSED. THESE ARE CLASSIFIED AS THE AGGRESSIVE RAPIST (WHO HAS UNDERLYING HOSTILITY AGAINST WOMEN), THE SEXUAL RAPIST (WHO HAS NEVER LEARNED TO ATTRACT WOMEN THROUGH SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE WAYS), AND A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THE CRIMINALLY SADISTIC RAPIST WHO INJURES OR KILLS HIS VICTIM IS EXAMINED IN DETAIL. THE AGGRESSIVE OR SEXUAL-AGGRESSIVE FACTORS OPERATING ARE EXAMINED THROUGH A SERIES OF CASE STUDIES. TESTS TO HELP IDENTIFY RAPIST TENDENCIES AND THERAPY TO OVERCOME THE DEEP-SEATED HOSTILITY IS BRIEFLY OUTLINED. THE PURELY SEXUAL RAPIST USUALLY HAS NEVER MASTERED BASIC SOCIAL SKILLS. THERAPY TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THESE SOCIAL DEFICITS IS DESCRIBED. SUCCESS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY A NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS USING THIS APPROACH. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THERAPY CAN PROVIDE ONLY PART OF THE SOLUTION. FOR RAPE TO BE ELIMINATED IN SOCIETY, SOCIETY ITSELF MUST ELIMINATE ITS STEREOTYPE OF MAN AS AGGRESSOR AND WOMAN AS VICTIM AND REPLACE THESE IMAGES WITH A RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (GLR)