Rape In Story

Twisted Humour · Jan 6, 2010

Hello, I am just wondering. See there is a scene in my Novel following the sex scene where the MC is raped by a man and a woman. Now it is necessary to advance the story.Plus it leaves him confused, angry and breaks his psyche for a period of time.

I absolutely disagree with it. But it is to advance the story. It is a fantasy, but i am putting it here because i had no idea where to post this question.

I'd be grateful just to know if this is acceptable or not. Cheers

Darklite · Jan 7, 2010

My opinion-yes it's absolutely acceptable to include the scene as it's necessary to the story. I wouldn't try passing it off as erotica, although from the way you worded your question I don't think that's your intention. Rape is not erotic. If anything it's horror, and should be written with that in mind

Tin Man · Jan 7, 2010

If its integral to the plot, of course, by all means incorporate it, but as Darklite mentioned, rape for titillation purposes would be a fairly guaranteed turn off.

veinglory · Jan 7, 2010

Whether it is acceptable or not, I doubt it is "erotica".

Twisted Humour · Jan 7, 2010

Tin Man said:
If its integral to the plot, of course, by all means incorporate it, but as Darklite mentioned, rape for titillation purposes would be a fairly guaranteed turn off.

Again, as I have already said. I did not know where to post this otherwise. I am fairly new to this forum. But i thank you very much for all your opinions.

Brindle Chase · Jan 7, 2010

Well, I'm an erotic/romance writer, so keep that in mind... but in my experience, all/or damn near all publishers I'm aware of, will not accept stories with forced sex depicted. It can be mentioned, alluded to, talked about (EI character mentioning it happening in their past)... but the act is forbidden.

veinglory · Jan 7, 2010

At the risk if getting started on one of my rants, there are quite few mainstream romances that depict male rape explicitly even though they would never allow depiction of female rape. e.g. the blockbuster "Outlander".

Brindle Chase · Jan 7, 2010

veinglory said:
At the risk if getting started on one of my rants, there are quite few mainstream romances that depict male rape explicitly even though they would never allow depiction of female rape. e.g. the blockbuster "Outlander".

eeeek... didn't know that. Had that one on my gotta read eventually list... not sure now!

ELMontague · Jan 7, 2010

Well, the place to start is that a rape scene is not a sex scene, though sex acts take place. Whether or not you include a rape is entirely story dependent.

TabithaTodd · Jan 7, 2010

I have something similar in one of my wips. It is a part that is leading up to it but gets disrupted by another person and is to advance the story. I don't actually go as far as rape and is not a titillation for the erotica part of my story or any part of it actually.

It's a novel that is a psych thriller. I've been researching sociopathic psychology theories for this story and what makes a sociopath tick. I think if it's for the advancement of the story and is not the main plot of the story (sic the whole point to the story) then it's acceptable, especially if it's not a titillation piece.

kuwisdelu · Jan 7, 2010

ELMontague said:
Well, the place to start is that a rape scene is not a sex scene, though sex acts take place. Whether or not you include a rape is entirely story dependent.

Yes, thank you. Important point.

I have a graphic rape scene in one of my novellas. By no means is it meant to be erotic though.

scarletpeaches · Jan 7, 2010

veinglory said:
At the risk if getting started on one of my rants, there are quite few mainstream romances that depict male rape explicitly even though they would never allow depiction of female rape. e.g. the blockbuster "Outlander".

That was anything but explicit, unless the U.S. and U.K. editions are vastly different. Jamie submitted and then told Claire about it later. The book was told from her POV; Jamie's rape could hardly have been described explicitly when Claire was not present.

ETA: And lest we forget - this is the same book that showed Jamie beating his wife to punish her, an act which she forgives. This may have been the norm in the 18th century but Claire was from the 1940s. Hardly favouritism when it comes to violence against men.

Brindle Chase said:
eeeek... didn't know that. Had that one on my gotta read eventually list... not sure now!

I don't understand readers who refuse certain books because of subject matter...it's how they're written that should matter.

veinglory · Jan 7, 2010

Um, content count's for something. Or we wouldn't even have genres.

Brindle Chase · Jan 8, 2010

scarletpeaches said:
I don't understand readers who refuse certain books because of subject matter...it's how they're written that should matter.

What's not to understand? Would you watch a football game if you hated football? I wouldn't. I don't like books that include scenes of forced sex... so I don't read them. I don't care how a book is written. I care that it will entertain me... not make me throw up. hehehe.

scarletpeaches · Jan 8, 2010

My point was, 'rape' is not a genre. What if you were really into a book and...rape came up? You'd stop reading? What if that rape was an essential part of a literary novel? A horror one? A love story? Something that happened to one of the characters would stop you reading? That's like saying "If a character ever wears blue socks, I'll stop reading because I don't like blue socks."

Hell, I can't stand kids but I wouldn't stop reading if a character got pregnant. Incidents in a story aren't the same as genre.

veinglory · Jan 8, 2010

You may not get it, but it is perfectly sensible.

I once picked up a 'Gor' book. There was a rape in the second chapter. I stopped reading, and never read another book by that author again. He writes quite well--I certainly read a lot of book by authors who are no better--but a woman being raped and then falling in love with her attacker is a common theme in his books and I am just not interested in reading that.

Brindle Chase · Jan 8, 2010

scarletpeaches said:
My point was, 'rape' is not a genre. What if you were really into a book and...rape came up? You'd stop reading? What if that rape was an essential part of a literary novel? A horror one? A love story? Something that happened to one of the characters would stop you reading? That's like saying "If a character ever wears blue socks, I'll stop reading because I don't like blue socks."

Hell, I can't stand kids but I wouldn't stop reading if a character got pregnant. Incidents in a story aren't the same as genre.

In short. Yep, I would stop reading. I have before, even went and demanded my money back. Forced sex repulses me... and I make no apologies for not reading it. I would never expect you to read something that made you sick to your stomach, so why would you place that expectation on me? Or anyone? Rape is hardly comparable to blue socks. And dislike is very different from utter repulsion. but hey... you're you... I'm me. We're different and that's okay... right?

scarletpeaches · Jan 8, 2010

If it's lazy writing I can understand that - but my dislike of lazy writing is not restricted to rape. It's universal. If an author repeats themes or plot lines, I'd rather read something else.

Richard Laymon is one whose books are full of rape-for-no-reason-or-purpose, and I got bored with his novels years ago (even the ones which he managed to write after he died).

Rape isn't pleasant, no, but neither is murder and we still read about that.

veinglory · Jan 8, 2010

No everyone reads about murder either. I actively avoid the current spate of books with explicit torture and murder or women by sexual sadists.

Content is a matter of taste. We reader for content as well as style. That's normal.

kuwisdelu · Jan 8, 2010

If it's well-written, nothing will repulse me from reading a book.

If I stop reading because of something I find personally objectionable, it's because the author didn't portray it realistically enough for it to make sense to me, not because I find it objectionable.

To be honest, I don't understand it either. If it's well-written, I'll read anything.

But to each his or her own, I guess.

That is all.

Celia Cyanide · Jan 8, 2010

veinglory said:
a woman being raped and then falling in love with her attacker is a common theme in his books and I am just not interested in reading that.

That's totally different, IMO. Rape is something that happens to real people, and I see no reason why it shouldn't happen to characters in a book. What you described, however, is just silliness.

veinglory · Jan 8, 2010

But it has a loyal following, and even a commune living the "Gor" lifestyle.

Some people will eat anything if the chef is good enough, but I am not one of them. For a start, I'm vegetarian. It's a matter of personal choice, IMHO. People shouldn't have to field guilt for having strong preferences and aversions--for whatever reason.

Brindle Chase · Jan 8, 2010

well to each their own. I dont want to read it and I dont think I'm in a minority. There is a reason why a great many publishers state it boldly in their submission guidelines. No depiction of forced sex is accepted. I'm guessing their marketing research shows that there are enough people out their who feels similar as I, to avoid it altogether. *shrugs*

kuwisdelu · Jan 8, 2010

Hmm. To me that's as crazy as saying you shouldn't depict cannibalism or incest. *shrug*

Darklite · Jan 8, 2010

Brindle Chase said:
There is a reason why a great many publishers state it boldly in their submission guidelines. No depiction of forced sex is accepted.

But those are the ruels for erotic publishers. And I don't think the OP intends the scene to be erotic, I think he/she just posted in the wrong section. There are plenty of mainstream books out there that depict rape. And if this particular scene is necessary to the book, then it should be written and not censored out just because here are some readers who won't like it.

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