The dreaded R word

Sandsurfgirl

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I have a completed novel that I'm happy with and ready to shop around but... I have some reticence about something. It's a romantic suspense, bordering on thriller.

As a woman, I can't stand all the rape culture and I absolutely abhor rape as titillation. But my book does have an attempt at the R word. She fights like hell and kicks his ass in an awesome way. I feel like it's cathartic and absolutely no glorification at all of the act.

The way the guy goes psycho on her fits the story perfectly. It affects all her decisions thereafter as well as her relationship with other people.

But there is a small part of me that thinks... do we really need another story where a woman is violated, or a man attempts to violate her?

It could be changed. There is wiggle room to make him nuts in another way and not a sexual predator.

Then I think well...it does happen. I myself was a victim many years ago. Writing this scene was incredibly cathartic for me personally. But now I'm having doubts about putting it out there. It's a touchy subject. I don't want to shy away from hard subjects just because... but then there is this part of me that thinks maybe we should shy away from this one since it is so pervasive in so many areas.

My scene is not too graphic. I don't write intense heat at all. But you do get the message loud and clear. There is no mistaking what he is trying to do.
 

BookmarkUnicorn

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I feel like while it can be done and done well it is a bit overdone as a villain plot point (from a reader's pov). Its always kind of left a sour taste in my mouth when the act is in a romance (not just a past event) and the sex in the book when it finally follows is framed like a heal all for everything that happened to the character. I don't know why exactly. I know people in real life do heal from it (I've known three, two of them males) but there are all different degrees of how fast and how scarring it was to the survivor...

Edit: Sorry I meant no disrespect, this wasn't to imply that your story shared the same pitfalls. In all honesty, as a reader I do look forward to your realistic take on the matter, should you choose to publish it. I know it must be very hard to talk about.
 
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Sandsurfgirl

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In my books sex is not the heal all that's for sure.
I hear what you're saying. It's the reason I am reticent. But you know, sometimes when you're writing the story just happens and it does make sense in my story for sure. The big question is, if it's worth changing just for the sake of changing to avoid the subject.

The rape is not the focus of his insane behavior or attacks on her but it is part of it.
 

Sandsurfgirl

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Yes you absolutely can heal from it. It has been a long time for me and a big effort, but healing does happen. It does for my character and not because of sex with another man. That's sort of creeps me out honestly. It's generally not how it works. Sometimes women will throw themselves at men as a way to try to heal, but it usually comes from pain and a whole bunch of garbage in their head.

This is really freaking hard to write about on a public forum by the way. But I want the perspective of people on here who know what they are talking about and write in the genre.
 
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Marian Perera

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But there is a small part of me that thinks... do we really need another story where a woman is violated, or a man attempts to violate her?

I'm like BookmarkUnicorn; villain-on-heroine sexual assault in a romance very rarely works for me. Maybe because I've just read this way too often (and the ass-kicking is predictable, for me, because that's what every heroine does these days). But if the scene works for your story and for you, then go for it. And I like the fact that there are real consequences to the assault, and that your heroine is significantly affected. That strikes a realistic note.

So, best of luck with the story. :)
 

Sandsurfgirl

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I feel like while it can be done and done well it is a bit overdone as a villain plot point (from a reader's pov). Its always kind of left a sour taste in my mouth when the act is in a romance (not just a past event) and the sex in the book when it finally follows is framed like a heal all for everything that happened to the character. I don't know why exactly. I know people in real life do heal from it (I've known three, two of them males) but there are all different degrees of how fast and how scarring it was to the survivor...

Edit: Sorry I meant no disrespect, this wasn't to imply that your story shared the same pitfalls. In all honesty, as a reader I do look forward to your realistic take on the matter, should you choose to publish it. I know it must be very hard to talk about.

That's so nice of you. I didn't take it as any disrespect at all. I appreciate the viewpoints. I want to hear people's opinion.

I do kind of feel like the perspective and treatment of someone who uh... knows what they're talking about... might be refreshing and I would hope cathartic for people who have been there. If you asked me ten years ago if I would write about this subject I would have told you that you had lost your mind on an island of crazy somewhere. But then it sort of organically came out in the story and it sucked writing it, but then I felt like it was what needed to happen.

Maybe a good Freudian can analyze it. I'm sure there is some deep unconscious thing going on here.
 

morrighan

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But there is a small part of me that thinks... do we really need another story where a woman is violated, or a man attempts to violate her?

I think it's a common theme, but that's just an event in the novel, not the whole novel itself. What matters is what happens afterwards, how she heals from the experience, and that can take many forms, some of which just might resonate with readers.

I think go for it. There's a reason why the theme resonated with you in the first place, and now that you're done, to censor it because you feel it's been overdone just might take away the original message or theme or feel for the book.