Myths surrounding rape include the following: rapists are strangers to victims, the stranger attacks in a dark alley, rapists attack only attractive women, women bring rape charges lightly and falsely to punish a lover or to get revenge, women's rape fantasies prove they enjoy being raped, and most rapes occur between persons of different races. Each of these myths is examined and refuted. Victims tend to blame themselves and to accept others' judgment about their complicity, according to this discussion. Moreover, the confusion between rape and intimacy carries over into the victim's other relationships. The impact of sexual assault on the victims' families and associates is often as traumatic as on victims themselves. Thus, changes in the legal code, the development of victim assistance centers, and additional research have evolved. There is a need for more education and political activity to destroy myths about rape, as well as changes in the medical and justice systems. Twenty-three references are cited.