Theorizing Rape: The Past, Present, and Future of Criminological and Feminist Theories

• In Event: Theoretical Explanations of Sexual Offending

Abstract

Despite its severity and high occurrence, rape is not a crime that has been frequently theorized on or tested in popular criminological theory, and much of the literature is driven by feminist theory. This paper reviews the existing criminological research on theoretical explanations for rape and sexual assault from the perspective of traditional and feminist theories. It summarizes the findings of 33 studies since 1985, identifying trends in the literature throughout time and comparing the perspectives used. It advocates for integrating traditional criminological and feminist perspectives to broaden the theoretical knowledge and concludes with directions for future research.

Author

• Maja Vlajnic, Northeastern University