The Trap of Marital Rape
Marital rape has been defined as non-consensual sexual acts between a woman and her husband, former husband or long term partner, and include any unwanted, humiliating and painful sexual activity. If intimidation or threats are used to achieve submission, then marital rape is being committed.
A marriage license doesn't waive a woman's right to protection from violence.
Martial rape is degrading, and sometimes the woman has to submit at after brutal beatings or at gunpoint. Some survivors have even been forced to provide sexual favors for friends of their husbands.
Marital rape is illegal in the United States, and is handled as any other sexual assault cases. However, due to the fear, the feelings of self-doubt, the embarrassment, and the knowledge that it probably will happen again, many wives choose not to report the rape. Of the ones who have reported, only a small percentage actually make it to criminal court. Others have sued their husbands in civil proceedings and been awarded compensation for their suffering and physical injuries.
Survivors of marital rape tend to report less than survivors of stranger rape and acquaintance rape. This is primarily due to the general concensus that what goes on "behind closed doors" or "within the confines of a marriage" is no one elses business. It's also traced to the idea that a woman is the "possession" of her husband and therefore must submit at his discretion. The subjugation of women has been acceptable for thousands of years, and in some societies, it was and still is a matter of law to treat them as private property.
The psychological injuries of a woman who is forced to have sex by her husband are intensely felt. She experiences the same symptoms of Rape Trauma Syndrome , in addition to symptoms of Battered Women's Syndrome .
When raped by a stranger or an acquaintance, a woman has the memories of the assault to deal with. When raped by her husband--the person who promised to love and cherish and protect her--she has to live with her rapist. She will often remain attached to him because she equates love with dependence on her husband/abuser, and she will suppress her outrage in response to his cruel behavior.
Authors Finklehor and Yllo have separated martial rape into 3 types: battering, force-only and obsessive.
A man who commits battering rape beats his wife while forcing her to submit to him. His characteristics tend to be
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