This file was prepared for electronic distribution by the inforM staff. Questions or comments should be directed to inform-editor@umail.umd.edu. TEACHING ABOUT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESOURCE GUIDE WS400: Issues in Feminist Theory and Method Tonia Trodahl Jennifer Sayles Jean Potuchek Jennifer McMahon Denise Maynard Lisa Kaugher Valerie Hoffman Christina Cammarata Katharine Burke Gettysburg College Gettysburg, Pennsylvania May, 1993 INCORPORATING THE ISSUE OF RAPE IN A CORE LIBERAL ARTS COURSE Valerie Hoffman Course Overview First Year Colloquy is a required interdisciplinary core liberal arts course for first year students. It is taught by full-time faculty members from a cross-section of academic departments, and features two basic teaching formats: comprehensive sessions making use of lectures and films, and small seminar groups (no more than 16 students) in which each student actively participates. Each Colloquy section meets for a total of 2 and 1/2 hours of class a week, either on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or on Tuesday and Thursday. Class discussion stems from the readings - both fiction and non-fiction - and from films, lectures, and on and off-campus events. The First Year Colloquy classroom is not a lecture hall, but a workshop. Through lively class discussions and written analysis of classroom material, Colloquy students consider new ideas, develop their own opinions and learn to appreciate other individuals' perspectives. The First Year Colloquy is designed to meet three important objectives: to strengthen reasoning skills, broaden acquaintance with landmarks of human achievement, and promote the benefits of a common intellectual experience in the campus community. Other skills that are developed include clear and analytical thinking, oral discussion and debate, presenting ideas effectively in writing, looking at problems from an interdisciplinary perspective, and reading of significant (and often difficult) texts. (Portions of this section are paraphrased from the Gettysburg College Viewbook and the First Year Colloquy Syllabus.) Incorporating the Issue of Rape The First Year Colloquy theme, "Trading Eyes: Exploring Alternative Visions," asks students to look through the eyes of others so that they may appreciate and understand different ways of knowing and experiencing life. "Trading Eyes" has great power to affect how students understand the natural world, different cultures, other individuals, and themselves. The topic of "Trading Eyes" is divided into four sections: Intriguing Visions, Many Visions of America, Art as an Alternative Vision, and A Vision of Africa. The content of the final two weeks of class in a semester of Colloquy is left up to the instructor's discretion: this is where I am suggesting the study of violence against women be placed. Incorporating a discussion of violence against women, and more specifically rape, into the Colloquy curriculum can encourage students to think about and discuss their own and others' attitudes towards issues of rape that affect them during college including fraternity gang rape, date/acquaintance rape, stranger rape, and their own sexual freedom. The following section contains three annotated bibliography lists. The first is a "Student Resources" list which includes materials that can be used by the student for research or reading outside the class, i.e. presentation or paper sources. Following that is a list of "Student Readings" which includes suggested readings for the First Year Colloquy class, and some of these have been used to develop a model syllabus which can be found in the last part of this section on rape. The final list consists of "Resources for Faculty" which is organized by sub-categories of types of rape and can be used to locate background information. Attached is one model lesson plan. It begins with six chapters from the Gordon and Riger book on female fear of rape. This book will not only help both male and female students to become aware of women's fear of rape, but will also promote discussion of rape and male aggression against women existing on a continuum in our society. This book is easily accessible to women because it does not single out those who have experienced rape and those who haven't; all women live with this fear. It is easily accessible to men because it doesn't have a threatening or male bashing undertone. On the second and third class days The Second Rape by Madigan and Gamble will be read and discussed. The second day will concentrate on Parts one and two which give a description of what happens to a woman after she has been a victim of rape and how the authors feel the system causes such women to have to go through another "rape." Following that is a rape history from 3,000 B.C. to today and then the authors present five women's stories about their experiences within the system after they had been raped. The third day concentrates on the third and fourth parts of the book which include the author's research on the system that "rapes" these women for a second time. The book ends with a discussion of change and empowerment. Reading the victims' testimonies first will give the student the chance to put themselves in a position of a victim having to decide whether or not to report the crime, and how horrible it is after that is done. Then the students are exposed to the people involved in the "system" and they are given a chance to be on that side of the coin. I suggest showing the movie "Can't You See Me" after the first fifteen minutes of discussion on the third day. This movie depicts an acquaintance rape of a college student by her professor which she reports. Her situation is resolved very nicely in the movie with a guilty conviction, and this may provoke the students to disagree or agree with what happened to this woman as she went through the "system" based on what they have read in the book The Second Rape. Student Resources: Brownmiller, Susan. Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975. This books serves as an excellent background on feminist perspectives on rap, the history of rape (with specific focus on the United States), and male power over women (in the legal system, as a form of social control). Also included is discussion of rap in war, rape and sexual abuse of children, rap victims' psychological trauma, and actual testimony from rape victims. All in all, the book is a good resource and starting place for both students and professors unfamiliar with the subject. Finkelhor, David and Kersti Yllo. License to Rape. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985. Finkelhor and Yllo provide an in depth discussion of the issues surrounding the problem of marital rape. Chapters one and two used together provide a shocking but truthful description/introduction to the topic. Chapters three, four and five delve further into the subject and describe the types of rap, who raps his wife, and the difference between marital rape and marital sexuality. The last four chapters are useful to the discussion of solving the problem of marital rape through changes in law and attitudes. Russell, Diana. Rape in Marriage. New York: Collier Books, 1982. Russell provides a complete look at the issue of marital rape. She covers subjects from the law, theory and statistics to studies of the men and women involved in marital rap. She discusses women as property and the extreme violence against women, and ends with some of the strategies women use to get out or cope with abusive marriages. Russell also looks at marital rape cross-culturally in the last chapter. Her writing is accessible to students and I strongly recommend that this book, accompanied by Finkelhor and Yllo, be used for a paper or presentation on marital rap. Sanday, Peggy Reeves. "The Socio-Cultural Context of Rape: A Cross-Cultural Study," Journal of Social Issues 37, 4: 1981, pp. 5-27. This study debunks the notion of many earlier researchers that rape exists on a continuum around the world and always has. Sanday, an anthropologist, looks at 156 tribal societies and provides a description of "rape prone" and "rape free" societies. In addition, she gives the reader an idea of what types of attitudes, motivations, and socio-cultural factors can be related to the incidence of rape in these societies. This article proves interesting to both students and professors, especially those who thought they knew everything there is to know on the subject of rape. In classes where discussion might be hindered by immaturity or insensitivity, the study of rape can be directed more towards the academic than the emotional and this article would be very useful then. Readings for Students Gerstein, Beth. "Rape: Violence Against Women" from Sermons Seldom Heard: Women Proclaim Their Lives. New York: Crossroad Publishing Co., 1991, pp. 40- 51. This brief sermon by Beth Gerstein, a rape crisis counselor in Boston, encompasses the history and struggles of the anti-rape movement, a brief history of rape and rape statistics, and a personal account of her rape in 1983. The article is moving and can set the tone for a serious and emotionally evoking discussion in class. I feel this article is a must read for the professor and would serve as an asset to the Colloquy syllabus. The length is short and the level of writing is not very difficult so it can be combined with one or more additional readings for one class meeting period. Gordon, Margaret T. and Stephanie Riger. The Female Fear: The Social Cost of Rape. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1989. "Every woman has it to a degree, and all women are affected by it." (Gordon and Riger, p. 3) The Female Fear is the result of a research project conducted by Gordon and Riger in Chicago. This book describes the fear that women live with every day of their lives and the emotions that a rape victim lives with in the aftermath, how fear keeps women in a subordinate and oppressed state and suggestions for coping with fear. This book is well suited to Colloquy level students and to co-ed classes because it does not attempt in any way to accuse all men for the problem of rape. There are certain chapters which could promote a healthy and open conversation in the classroom about rape without making students feel uncomfortable. These include chapters one through four, and chapters seven and ten: they discuss women's fear of and women's trauma after a rape, and exploitation of women's fear and what society can do about it. Madigan, Lee and Nancy C. Gamble. The Second Rape: Society's Continued Betrayal of the Victim. New York: Lexington Books, 1989. Madigan and Gamble are interested in exposing what they feel is a second rape in our society that begins the moment a woman decides to "tell." "The second rape is the act of violation, alienation and disparagement a survivor receives when she turns to others for help and support." (Madigan and Gamble, p. S) The book gives a brief history of rap and rape attitudes, then moves on to testimonies of survivors and their experiences within the "system." The second half of the book focuses on the second rapists and shows, very candidly, the attitudes of these so called helpers to the victims. This book is fitting for Colloquy because of its ability to put the reader in the shoes of the victim and exemplify the horrors that a woman who has been raped has to face if she wants to seek justice or help. I highly recommend this book for both faculty and student use. Resources for Faculty Books/Articles General: Brownmiller, Susan. Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975. This books serves as an excellent background on feminist perspectives on rape, the history of rape (with specific focus on the United States), and male power over women (in the legal system, as a form of social control). Also included is discussion of rape in war, rape and sexual abuse of children, rape victims' psychological trauma, and actual testimony from rape victims. I recommend the book in its entirety to the professor who is searching for a comprehensive work on rape history. There are individual sections, however, that are especially relevant to specific courses and are accessible to first year students: for history professors chapter three discusses rape during war time and focuses on World Wars I, II, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, and chapter 5 talks about rape in American history. For professors who teach criminology and other such related courses chapters six and eight concentrate on the law, police, and prison. Professors wishing to include discussion of race may be inclined to use chapter seven; however, a reading of Angela Davis' article, "Rape, Racism and the Myth of the Black Rapist" is a must if you are teaching about race and rape to Colloquy students. All in all, the book is a good resource and starting place for professors unfamiliar with the subject. Griffin, Susan. "Rape: The All-American Crime." Rape Victimology. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1975, pp. 19-39. The article, although dated, serves as one of the first presentations of rape as an instrument of power. There is discussion of fear of rape, rape as a learned behavior, rape myths. Griffin feels that a male dominated society rewards aggressive sexual behavior, and since men define the standards of "chastity" and women who do not conform to these standards are candidates for rap, rap keeps women in their place. In addition, Griffin explores rap laws and discusses their ability to protect the rights of men as possessors of women. This article is almost a must in the literature of rape education for both students and professors. Russell, Diana. The Politics of Rape. New York: Stein and Day Publishers, 1974. The book is centered around twenty-two interviews with rape victims discussing the subject from the victim's perspective, and it rebuts many popular rap myths. Russell also contributes to the early literature on marital rap in this book. She sees rap as the result of the different socialization of males and females. Other subjects include rape prevention, alternatives and reforms to present solutions, and some interviews with rapists. Like Brownmiller and Griffin, Russell's writings are part of the "canon" on rap. This book can be used as a reference and reading for both professor and student on issues of the victim, rapist, race, and rape in our society, or for the seven page bibliography of early works on rap. Cross-Cultural/Multi-Cultural: Sanday, Peggy Reeves. "The Socio-Cultural Context of Rape: A Cross-Cultural Study," Journal of Social Issues 37, 4: 1981, pp. S-27. This study debunks the notion of many earlier researchers that rap exists in all cultures around the world and always has. Sanday, an anthropologist, looks at 156 tribal societies and provides a description of "rape prone" and "rape free" societies. In addition, she gives the reader an idea of what types of attitudes, motivations, and socio-cultural factors can be related to the incidence of rap in these societies. This article proves interesting to both students and professors, especially those who thought they knew everything there is to know on the subject of rap. In classes where discussion might be hindered by immaturity or insensitivity, the study of rap can be directed more towards the academic than the emotional and this article would be very useful then. Marital Rape Finkelhor, David and Kersti Yllo. License to Rape. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985. Finkelhor and Yllo provide an in depth discussion of the issues surrounding the problem of marital rap. Chapters one and two used together provide a shocking but truthful description/introduction to the topic. Chapters three, four and five delve further into the subject and describe the types of rap, who raps his wife, and the difference between marital rap and marital sexuality. The last four chapters are useful to the discussion of solving the problem of marital rap through changes in law and attitudes. Although marital rape is not a problem for many college students a useful discussion on date rape can result from reading some sections of this book, especially the last four chapters on law and attitude change. This book is not a difficult read and is already being used in a two-hundred level course, but I would not assign the whole thing to a Colloquy class. Rather, the professor would benefit from a full reading, and then choosing chapters that are applicable to other readings being assigned or to the expertise of the professor. Russell, Diana. Rape in Marriage. New York: Collier Books, 1982. Russell provides a complete look at the issue of marital rape. She covers subjects from the law, theory and statistics to studies of the men and women involved in marital rape. She discusses women as property and the extreme violence against women, and ends with some of the strategies women use to get out or cope with abusive marriages. Russell also looks at marital rape cross-culturally in the last chapter. Her writing is accessible to students and I strongly recommend that this book, accompanied by Finkelhor and Yllo, be used for a presentation or paper on marital rape. Race and Rape: Davis, Angela Y. "Rape, Racism and the Myth of the Black Rapist" from Women, Race, and Class. New York: Vintage Books, 1983, pp. 172-201. This article provides one Black feminist's perspective on attitudes towards rape, the involvement of women of color in the anti-rape movement, and how racism encourages sexual violence/coercion. I recommend this article to any professor who is looking for information on the intersection between the race and rape issues. This is not, however, an article I would readily assign to first year students. Societal Attitudes/Female Fear: Gordon, Margaret T. and Stephanie Riger. The Female Fear: The Social Cost of Rape. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1989. "Every woman has it to a degree, and all women are affected by it." (Gordon and Riger, p. 3) The Female Fear is the result of a research project conducted by Gordon and Riger in Chicago. This book describes the fear that women live with every day of their lives and the emotions that a rap victim lives with in the aftermath, how fear keeps women in a subordinate and oppressed state and suggestions for coping with fear. This book is well suited to Colloquy level students and to co-ed classes because it does not attempt in any way to accuse all men for the problem of rape. There are certain chapters which could promote a healthy and open conversation in the classroom about rap without making students feel uncomfortable. These include chapters one through four, and chapters seven and ten: they discuss women's fear of and women's trauma after a rap, and exploitation of women's fear and what society can do about it. Societal Attitudes/ Victim's Perspective: Madigan, Lee and Nancy C. Gamble. The Second Rape: Society's Continued Betrayal of the Victim. New York: Lexington Books, 1989. Madigan and Gamble are interested in exposing what they feel is a second rape in our society that begins the moment a woman decides to "tell." "The second rape is the act of violation, alienation and disparagement a survivor perceives when she turns to others for help and support." (Madigan and Gamble, p. 5) The book does a brief history of rape and rape attitudes, then moves on to testimonies of survivors and their experiences within the "system." The second half of the book focuses on the second rapists and shows, very candidly, the attitudes of these so called helpers to the victims. This book is fitting for Colloquy because of its ability to put the reader in the shoes of the victim and exemplify the horrors that a woman who has been raped has to face if she wants to seek justice or help. I highly recommend this book for both faculty and student use. Gerstein, Beth. "Rape: Violence Against Women" from Sermons Seldom Heard: Women Proclaim Their Lives. New York: Crossroad Publishing Co., 1991. pp. 40-51. This brief sermon by Beth Gerstein, a rape crisis counselor in Boston, encompasses the history and struggles of the anti-rape movement, a brief history of rape and rape statistics, and a personal account of her rape in 1983. The article is moving and can set the tone for a serious and emotionally evoking discussion in class. I feel this article is a must read for the professor and would serve as an asset to the Colloquy syllabus. The length is short and the level of writing is not very difficult so it can be combined with one or more additional readings for one class meeting period. Videos for Classroom "Can't You See Me: Rape Consequences and Recovery." San Diego CA: World Research Inc., 1984. 20 min. The film is a drama of an acquaintance rape of a college student by one of her professors. She takes the proper course through our system of medical treatment, counseling, and prosecution and the professor is found guilty. The film ends with a monologue about the facts and statistics on rape/acquaintance rape, and where more information or help may be available. The video comes with a 25 page guide which includes a 45 minute presentation to accompany the viewing of the movie, a fact sheet, discussion and debate questions, a list of solutions, some ways to help students understand victims' and families' emotions/reactions, and a list of additional resources. "Rethinking Rape." San Francisco, CA: Diner and Allied Film and Video Services, 1980. 25 min. This film is in documentary format, and is based around interviews with rape victims, a rape counselor, a sociologist, and activists in the anti-rape movement. There are focuses on acquaintance rape and on how the images portrayed in the media and the actions in everyday society shape and reinforce our attitudes towards rape, that rape exists, therefore, on a continuum with sexism in our society. Former model Anne Singleton talks about pornography's effect on rape attitudes, and there is discussion at the end of the video on how men and women are working hard and need to continue to work to solve the problem on rape. No materials accompany this video. Model Syllabus Each day have students come prepared with a written paragraph, to be handed in, addressing their reactions to the assigned reading for the day. This will serve as a starting point to each class or as a discussion focus if there is a lull or digression in the conversation. Monday Reading: Margaret T. Gordon and Stephanie Riger, The Female Fear, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10. Discussion questions: Chapter One - Looking at the environments that you have grown up in, what situations or events do you think taught you the fear of rape? Chapter Two - Turn to the table on pages 16 - 18 and ask to see hands for those who never or always do certain activities (professor should pick four or five of the strategies before hand). Use the responses to show the class how pervasive fear is on campus. Chapter Three - Do you agree with the statement made on page 28, "Clearly, among college students, sexual aggression is rare among strangers and common among acquaintances." What do you know about acquaintance rape and what are the college's policies on it? Who do you report something like this to and have you ever known anyone who has been the victim of an acquaintance rape? Chapter Four - Without consulting your books, list as many rape trauma syndrome reactions as you can remember that were described in chapter four. Which ones have you heard about before, which ones are new to you? Chapter Seven - As a homework assignment to be completed for Monday's class, have the students locate a recent article in a newspaper or magazine which reports a rape. Ask them to use Table 7.2 on pages 71 - 73 and to find the information in the article which is listed in the first column of the table. How did their article compare to the media's representation as portrayed in column two of the table? What impact, if any, did the article have on the student? Chapter Ten - "...research and activism over the last ten years have suggested several socially responsible approaches to the problem of female fear." (Gordon and Riger, p. 126) On the blackboard, make a list of these approaches including those listed in the book and any ideas the students might have which they find "socially responsible." Pick a few and discuss their possible implementation: costs, target populations, who would regulate and who would enforce, etc. Wednesday Reading: Lee Madigan and Nancy Gamble, The Second Rape, Parts I & II. Discussion questions: Parts I & II - Have the students write a sentence for each rape story describing from their own point of view the type of rape, the rapist, and the victim. Ask each to share what they have written and then discuss the discrepancies. Often students will see situations and those involved in different ways - discuss how your own perspective influences how we understand other people's experiences such as these rapes, how did the authors' perspectives as psychologists affect their interpretations. Friday Reading: Lee Madigan and Nancy Gamble, The Second Rape, Parts III & IV. Discussion questions: Spend the first fifteen minutes of class discussing Part III: - "Women never ask to be raped, but there is a certain type of woman who is culpable, apathetic, and ignorant. We call her HUA for 'head up her ass.' She's unable to sever former destructive relationships, and she may have a propensity to being victimized. She likes to get attention. She needs to know that somebody cares." (Madigan and Gamble, p. 74) What are some reactions to this and other quotes in the chapters of Part III? What is the general attitude of each of these institutions towards rape victims according to Madigan and Gamble? Show video "Can't You See Me." Spend last part of class comparing what was seen in the video to the knowledge the students have gained through Parts III and IV of Madigan and Gamble and to chapter 10 of Gordon and Riger. Was the situation portrayed in the movie representative of what happens in reality to a rape victim? You are a documentary film maker, what kind of things would you present in a film on the second rape? INCORPORATING THE ISSUE OF RAPE INTO AN INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY COURSE Christina D. Cammarata Course Overview This course is designed to introduce students to the field of psychology. Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. "This course will teach students some of the prominent theoretical perspectives in psychology and show them how to think within these perspectives" (Cain & Siviy, 1992). It is designed to familiarize students with some basic concepts and classic and current research findings within the vast psychology field. Lastly, this course teaches students ways to think about research critically and ways in which psychologists gather their data. This psychology course tries to ensure students' learning by encouraging them to think actively and critically about the material and apply the concepts learned to everyday life. The textbooks which are used to learn the basic concepts of psychology are: Basic Psychology, by Gleitman, and Psychology, by Tavris and Wade. Incorporating Material About Rape This course introduces several issues of rape as it is connected to research in psychology. Students can learn about rape in relation to psychological topics such as the biological basis of social behavior, emotions, and social psychology. The issues of rape that arise in relation to these psychological topics are: the victim's experience, the victim's and the rapist's view of rap, the influence of pornography on males' propensity to rape, rape as a universal violence against women, the prevalence of rape in different areas of the world, rape prevention, and counseling the victim. Rape can be incorporated under the topic of biological basis of social behavior. The biological basis of social behavior focuses on: the social nature of humans, built-in social behaviors, biological sources of aggression, and sexual behavior. There is a large amount of research on the notion that rape is a disease among men. In other words, it is believed that all men are born highly capable of raping women. Therefore, rape is a violent sexual act which is compared to a disease spreading across the male population. The biological basis of social behavior focuses on different biological systems affecting the conduct of a human being. These include: the brain and the nervous system, body rhythms and mental states, and sensation and perception. The textbook, Psychology, by Tavris and Wade, would be relevant to read since it discusses the mental states of rapists. This textbook proposes that rape is a disorder because it only affects men. However, if rape is considered a disorder among men, then these men who rape would not be held responsible for their crimes. Next, Scully's book, Understanding Sexual Violence, further studies whether rape is an act of violence of which all men are capable. In other words, are all men born with a sexual notion that rape is an acceptable act of violence which is committed against women? Also, the Peggy Reeves Sanday study examines whether men are born biologically to rape. She finds that rape varies across cultures. Therefore, Sanday concludes that rape is not a biological basis of social behavior. Men are not born with the notion to rape but are socialized in their individual societies to perform sexual violence against women. Discussion Questions for Class: - From your knowledge of the DSM-III-R, do you think rape should be considered a disorder? - What would happen if rape were considered a disorder? Would more men rape? Do you believe rape is a social behavior with a biological base among men? Rape could also be included under the topic of emotions by focusing on the emotions of the victim. Psychology studies several aspects of emotions. These include: the attitudes of individuals, the perceptions of others, the perception of oneself, and the perception of one's own inner states. Psychological studies have shown that women are viewed as more emotional than men. These studies have proved that women express their emotions more often and more openly. This leads to the psychological dilemma: should one keep his/her emotions to him/herself or let them all out after a traumatic experience such as rape? Rape: Victims of Crisis, written by Burgess and Holmstrom, focuses on the emotions and view of the victim and the victim's family. It deals with the issue of counseling the victim and the victim's family to open up their emotions to each other in the context of dealing with the traumatic experience of rape. A psychology experiment which also deals with the victim and the victim's family counseling is "Once a princess, always a princess: a strategy for therapy with families of rape victims" by Feinauer and Hippolite (1987). This study uses short metaphorical stories to help the victim and her family experience, reexperience and decide how to respond to this traumatic event through open expression of their emotions. The experiment found that reintegration of their emotions helped the victim and her family to handle the traumatic experience better and more openly. The other book which concentrates on emotions is Rape and Inequality, by Herman Schwendinger and Julia Schwendinger. The book has an entire chapter on the victim's explanation of her experience and emotions from the trauma of being raped. It focuses on all of the aspects of emotions: the attitudes of individuals, the perceptions of others, the perception of oneself (the victim herself), and the perception of the victim's own inner states. A psychology study which concentrates its efforts on discovering the perceptions of the rapist is "Convicted rapists' perceptions of self and victim: Role taking and emotions" by Diana Scully (1988). This study found that the majority of male rapists do not experience emotions, (i.e., guilt or shame), after having raped a woman. Scully (1988) proposes that this is caused by the gender imbalance of power and the status of women as property; therefore, men's emotions are inoperative in sexual violence against women. Discussion Questions for Class: - After learning about sex differences in emotions, do you think that men would be less emotional about a trauma in their lives than women would be about being raped? - What would you think are the emotions of a rapist after he has raped a woman? Happy or sad about his actions? Explain. - Evidently, many women who have been raped keep it a secret. After learning about emotions, in your opinion, do you think it is better to let all your emotions out (tell someone you were raped) or keep them inside (keep it a secret with yourself)? The last and most important topic to include rape under is that of social psychology. Social psychology studies the social interactions of individuals. It focuses on social exchange (i.e., one-on-one interactions, relating to others), social influence (i.e., conformity), and crowd behavior (i.e., many persons interacting with many other persons). One can examine the relationship between rape and the influence of social conformity in society. Hock's studies on conformity in society found that the conformity of males socially influences them to use violence against women. Also, Benson, Charlton and Goodhart (1992) researched the prevalence of acquaintance rape on campuses. Their research found that conformity and sex role socialization promotes the beliefs about women that lead to rape. At this point, "Playing the Game" (1987) would be a very good movie to show to students. It discusses the issue of rape on campus and the influence of conformity on males. Next, Gordon and Riger's book, The Female Fear - The Social Cost of Rape, clearly fits under the topic of social psychology in that it discusses rape in today's society, society's response to rape and coping strategies for the victim. It studies the social exchange of both individuals who have experienced rape and their friends and families' reactions to their trauma. Also, it studies society's response, otherwise known as crowd behavior in psychology. Discussion Questions for Class: - From what you have learned about conformity, do you believe rape is the result of the conformity of males or do you think rape would occur even if conformity did not exist? At this point, the influence of pornography on rape can be incorporated into social psychology. Pornography is a social influence upon men. It inspires male friends to socially exchange their thoughts on different pornographic movies. This causes more men to consistently rent or buy different pornographic movies of which they have heard and spread the word to others. Once again, this leads to "crowd behavior." Many men exchange their suggestions on different pornographic movies. As can be seen, men conform by watching pornographic films which give them ideas of violence to use against women. Scully's book and Tavris and Wade's textbook both concentrate on the influence of pornography on rape in today's society. They discuss the social influence of pornography upon men which leads to sexual violence against women. Furthermore, MacKinnon discusses the role of the legal system in both rape cases and the issue of pornography's existence in today's society. Her book focuses on both the social influence of pornography and the social exchange of men which inspires more men to watch pornography and learn more ways to use sexual violence against women. Discussion Questions for Class: - From what you have learned about social influence, is pornography a social influence which inspires men to conform and use sexual violence against women? - In your opinion, if there were no social exchange between men, would pornography have the same influence? Lastly, rape prevention is another important subtopic of rape in relation to social psychology. All aspects of social psychology (social influence, social exchange, and crowd behavior) could help end sexual violence against women. If all people conform to the notion that rape is atrocious and must be terminated, maybe rape would become nonexistent. Both social exchange and crowd behavior could inspire people to put an end to sexual violence against women. Brownmiller's book includes an entire chapter on ways to fight the violence of men against women in today's society. She speaks of people conforming to different ways of destroying the existence of rape in today's society. Discussion Question for Class: - In relation to what you have learned about social psychology (i.e., social influence, social exchange, crowd behavior), what are some strategies/solutions to decrease the amount of sexual violence against women? Reading Assignments for Students: Brownmiller, Susan. Against our Will: Men, Women and Rape. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1975. This book is easy to understand and teaches the basic facts about rape. It argues that men rap because of their dominance over women. Furthermore, women are powerless in comparison to men in our society; once a man feels his power being threatened by a woman, he may respond by using sexual violence against her. This book is relevant to this course because it teaches uninformed students several different issues of rape. It explains all aspects of rape; however, the last chapter, "Women Fight Back," should be the last assignment for students so that they will be aware of ways to fight the dominance and violence of men against women in today's society. Gleitman, Henry. Basic Psychology. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1992. This is a great textbook for students to use for learning the basic concepts of psychology for this introductory course. The concepts learned from this book can be applied to the aspects of rape in which students are learning in this course. It is a simple and easy to understand psychology textbook for Psychology 101 students. Hock, Roger R. Forty Studies That Changed Psychology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1992. This book of empirical studies has two studies which pertain to rape in chapter 10. "The Power of Conformity" study provides evidence to prove that people conform in society to what everybody else does; this relates to rape by the conformity of males in using violence against women. The "To Help or Not To Help" study demonstrates that people who witnessed an attack against a woman did not help; this behavior by witnesses does not help decrease the number of attacks against women. Who will help us? Schwendinger, Herman and Julia R. Rape and Inequality. California: Sage Publications, Inc., 1983. This book answers all the questions students might have about rape. It is easy to understand and details all aspects of rape. lt is an especially important book when studying emotions. The authors explain how victims handle their emotions and ways to help victims in coping with their emotions. Chapters to focus on are: 2 - a victim explains her experience and emotions from the trauma, 3 - different forms of rape, 8 - rape is not universal and sexism does not exist everywhere, 14 - priorities for rape prevention. Tavris, Carol & Carole Wade. Psychology. New York: Harper & Row, 1990. This textbook is great for psych 101 students. It is the only psychology textbook which approaches the topic of rape in two different instances. The first instance explains the correlation between rape and pornography. The second instance proposes the idea that rape is a disorder because it only affects men. This second instance is a great discussion topic for students. Resources for Faculty Material Written by Psychologists: Burgess, Ann Wolbert, and Lynda Lytle Holmstrom. Rape: Victims of Crisis. Maryland: Robert J. Brady Co., 1974. This book is essentially important because it describes both the victim's and rapist's view of rape, reactions by family and community to rape, and different methods of counseling rape victims. It helps when studying emotions in psychology. The book describes the emotions of the victim and ways for her to cope with these emotions. Chapters 10 through 18 are most relevant to the psychology course since it teaches ways of counseling the victims. This would also fit in under the subtopic of emotions since counseling these victims will help them cope with their emotions. Benson, D., Charlton, C. & Goodhart, F. "Acquaintance rape on campus: A literature review," Journal of American College Health, 40, 157 - 165, 1992. This review researched the prevalence of acquaintance rape on campus. It discusses the legal issues, adolescent attitudes, rapists' and victims' characteristics, and suggestions for prevention. It shows that conformity and sex role socialization promotes the growth of sexual violence against women. It should be read to further learn about the influence of conformity upon males. Feinauer, L. & Hippolite, D. "Once a princess, always a princess: A strategy for therapy with families of rape victims," Contemporary Family Therapy An International Journal, 9, 252-262, 1987. This study used short metaphorical stories which the rape victim and her family experienced, reexperienced, and redecided how to deal with the traumatic event of rape. Subjects learned to use open expression of their emotions to recover from the traumatic event. Therefore, this is a good study to read when focusing on the aspect of emotions in the issue of rape. Scully, Diane. "Convicted rapists' perceptions of self and victim: Role taking and emotions," Gender & Society, 2, 20()-213, 1987. This experiment studies the perceptions of rapists. The study demonstrated that males did not define their behavior as rape and a majority of these subjects did not experience any emotions towards rap (i.e., guilt or shame). Scully attributes this to the gender imbalance of power and the status of women as property. Therefore, these social aspects cause males to have no emotions in sexual violence against women. This is great study to read when discussing emotions with the class. Feminist Perspectives on Rape: General Information on Rape: Gordon, Margaret T. and Stephanie Riger. The Female Fear - The Social Cost of Rape. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1991. This book explains the basic facts about rape, gives data on areas where rape is most prevalent, explains society's response to rap, teaches the politics of rape, and explains possible coping strategies for victims of rape. Focus on chapter 8 - coping strategies. This chapter discusses coping strategies for victims of rape which would be strongly important to teach to psychologists counseling victims. It is a good chapter for those interested in ways to counsel rape victims. Scully, Diana. Understanding Sexual Violence. Great Britain: Harper Collins Academic, 1991. This book details all aspects of rape. Focus on chapters 2 and 7 which explain the different problems of rape; these chapters essentially discuss the psychological views of rape. Chapter 2 discusses whether rape is a disease among men and the legitimization of rape through pornography. Chapter 7 further examines the types of men who rape and the notion that patriarchy in today's society contributes to all sexual violence against women. Russell, Diana E.H. The Politics of Rape. New York: Stein and Day, 1974. This book concentrates its efforts on explaining the different influences contributing to the prevalence of rape in society. Chapters 24 and 25 differentiate the female and male view of rape. It is a good chapter to teach the unfortunate beliefs which discriminate the female in today's society and contribute to further violence against women. Specific Information on Rape: MacKinnon, Catherine A. Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on Life and Law. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1983. Focus on chapter 9 in this book written by a feminist. MacKinnon, a very influential radical feminist and lawyer, teaches the laws of rape and the fact that these laws are not strictly enforced; it teaches the few legalities of rape. This book helps give a good explanation of the legal system in rape cases. Sanday, Peggy Reeves. "The Socio-Cultural Context of Rape: A Cross-Cultural Study," Journal of Social Issues, 37, 5-27, 1981. This empirical study does a cross-cultural examination on rap in various societies. It teaches that rap is not universal and varies across societies. It gets rid of the myth that all males have a strong tendency to rap and are born biologically to rape. It teaches that culture influences the occurrence of rape. Lesson Plans Topic: Biological Basis of Social Behavior Faculty: Scully, Understanding Sexual Violence. Sanday, "The Socio-Cultural Context of Rape: A Cross-Cultural Study." Students: Readings: Tavris and Wade, Psychology, Part Two. Focus on pgs. 112-114, 478-480, 580. Brownmiller, Against Our Will, chapter 1. Gleitman, Basic Psychology, ch. 9. Assignment: Group Project You have learned about the sex differences between males and females as a biological basis of social behavior. As a group, discuss and write a two page paper on how these sex differences can be attributed to the notion that males rape and females are always the victims. Topic: Emotions Faculty: Burgess and Holmstrom, Rape: Victims of Crisis. Scully, "Convicted Rapists' Perceptions of Self and Victim: Role Taking and Emotions." Feinauer and Hippolite, "Once A Princess, Always A Princess: A Strategy for Therapy with Families of Rape Victims." Students: Readings: Tavris and Wade, Psychology, chapter 9. Schwendinger and Schwendinger, Rape and Inequality, chapter 2. Gleitman, Basic Psychology. ch. 11. Assignment: Individual paper Individually, write a two page paper on the following dilemma: Suppose you were raped. After having learned about emotions, answer the following questions using much thought and detail: -What are the attitudes of the individuals around you toward rape? -How do you think others would perceive you after you had been raped? -How would you perceive yourself after being raped? -What would your perception of your own inner states be after you had been raped? -Which theory do you think would be best to use after being raped - the "bottled up" theory or the "let it all out" theory? Topic: Social Psychology Faculty: Gordon and Riger, The Female Fear - The Social Cost of Rape. MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on Life and Law. Benson, Charlton, and Goodhart, "Acquaintance Rape on Campus: A Literature Review." Students: Readings: Tavris and Wade, Psychology, chapter 18. Hock, Forty Studies That Changed Psychology, pp. 287-301. Tavris and Wade, Psychology, p. 57. Gleitman, Basic Psychology, ch. 12. Brownmiller, Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape, ch. 12. Film: National Fraternity Life, "Playing the Game," 1987, (20 min.). Assignment: Group Project As a group project, write a paper on the effects of social influence, social exchange, and crowd behavior on rape. Explain the effects by giving an example of a story in each condition.