# Sexual Violence: Opposing Viewpoints

Sexual Violence: Opposing Viewpoints is a 2003 book edited by Helen Cothran. It presents selections of contrasting viewpoints on four central questions about sexual violence: what causes it; whether it is a serious problem; how society should address it; and how it can be reduced. The book is part of the Opposing Viewpoints series.

## Contents

| Chapter | Viewpoint | Author | Notes |
| Why Consider Opposing Viewpoints? | | | |
| Introduction | | | |
| Chapter 1: What Causes Sexual Violence? | 1. Rape Is a Natural Biological Act | Randy Thornhill and Craig T. Palmer | Excerpt from A Natural History of Rape: Biological Bases of Sexual Coercion (MIT Press, 2000, hardcover, ISBN 0-262-20125-9; 2001, paperback, ISBN 0-262-70083-2). |
| Chapter 1: What Causes Sexual Violence? | 2. Rape Is Not a Natural Biological Act | Barbara Ehrenreich | From "How 'Natural' Is Rape? Despite a Daffy New Theory, It's Not Just a Guy in Touch with His Inner Caveman", Time, January 31, 2000. |
| Chapter 1: What Causes Sexual Violence? | 3. Pornography Causes Sexual Violence | Fear Us | From "Pornography", 2001, FearUs.org. |
| Chapter 1: What Causes Sexual Violence? | 4. Pornography Does Not Cause Sexual Violence | American Civil Liberties Union | Reprint of "Why the ACLU Opposes Censorship of 'Pornography'", December 11, 1994. |
| Chapter 1: What Causes Sexual Violence? | 5. Traditional Male/Female Roles Promote Sexual Violence | Alyn Pearson | Excerpt from "Rape Culture: It's All Around Us", off our backs, vol. 30, August 2000. |
| Chapter 1: What Causes Sexual Violence? | 6. Rape Is Frequently Used as a Weapon of War | Barbara Crossette | Reprint of "An Old Scourge of War Becomes Its Latest Crime", The New York Times, June 14, 1998. |
| Chapter 1: What Causes Sexual Violence? | 7. Schools Often Contribute to Child Sexual Abuse | Economist | Excerpt from "Passing the Trash: Sex Offenders", The Economist, April 6, 2002. |
| Chapter 2: Is Sexual Violence a Serious Problem? | 1. Rape Is a Serious Problem | Mary P. Koss | Excerpt from "Acquaintance Rape: A Critical Update on Recent Findings with Application to Advocacy", 2000, Community Assessment Tool. |
| Chapter 2: Is Sexual Violence a Serious Problem? | 2. The Prevalence of Rape Has Been Exaggerated | Neil Gilbert | Excerpt from "Realities and Mythologies of Rape", Society, vol. 35, January/February 1998, p. 356-7. |
| Chapter 2: Is Sexual Violence a Serious Problem? | 3. Child Sexual Abuse Is a Serious Problem | Rebecca M. Bolen and Maria Scannapieco | From "Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse: A Corrective Metanalysis", Social Service Review, vol. 73, September 1999, p. 281. |
| Chapter 2: Is Sexual Violence a Serious Problem? | 4. Some Professionals Exaggerate the Problem of Child Sexual Abuse | Thomas D. Oellerich | Excerpt from "Identifying and Dealing with 'Child Savers'", Issues in Child Abuse Accusations, vol. 10, 1998, pp. 1–5, 7. |
| Chapter 2: Is Sexual Violence a Serious Problem? | 5. Child Sexual Abuse By Priests Is Widespread | Andrew Sullivan | Reprint of "They Still Don't Get It: How Can a Church That Judges So Many Faithful Cover Up Its Own Offenses?", Time, vol. 159, March 4, 2002, p. 55. |
| Chapter 2: Is Sexual Violence a Serious Problem? | 6. Child Sexual Abuse By Priests Is Not Widespread | Wilton D. Gregory | Reprint of "We Must Be Ceaselessly on Guard", National Catholic Reporter, vol. 28, March 1, 2002, p. 15. |
| Chapter 3: How Should Society Address Sexual Victimization? | 1. Women Should Tell Their Stories of Sexual Victimization | Martha T. McCluskey | From "Transforming Victimization", Tikkun, vol. 9, March/April 1994, pp. 54–57. |
| Chapter 3: How Should Society Address Sexual Victimization? | 2. Women Should Avoid Claiming Status as Victims | Katie Roiphe | Excerpt from The Morning After: Sex, Fear, and Feminism (Little Brown & Co., 1993, hardcover, ISBN 0-316-75431-5; Back Bay Books, 1994, paperback, ISBN 0-316-75432-3). |
| Chapter 3: How Should Society Address Sexual Victimization? | 3. Repressed Memories of Sexual Abuse Are Valid | James Lein | Excerpt from "Recovered Memories: Context and Controversy", Social Work, vol. 44, September 1999, 481–499. |
| Chapter 3: How Should Society Address Sexual Victimization? | 4. Repressed Memories of Sexual Abuse Are a Hoax | Rael Jean Isaac | Excerpt from "Sex, Lies, and Audiotapes", Women's Quarterly, Summer 2001, p. 7. |
| Chapter 3: How Should Society Address Sexual Victimization? | 5. Battered Woman Syndrome Is a Valid Defense | Douglas A. Orr | Excerpt from "Weiand v. State and Battered Spouse Syndrome", Florida Bar Journal, vol. 74, June 2000, p. 14. |
| Chapter 3: How Should Society Address Sexual Victimization? | 6. Battered Woman Syndrome Is Not a Valid Defense | Joe Wheeler Dixon | Reprint of "Battered Woman Syndrome", January 2002. |
| Chapter 4: How Can Sexual Violence Be Reduced? | 1. Chemical Castration Can Help Reduce Sexual Violence | Christopher Meisenkothen | Reprint of "Chemical Castration — Breaking the Cycle of Paraphiliac Recidivism", Social Justice, vol. 26, Spring 1999, pp. 139–54. |
| Chapter 4: How Can Sexual Violence Be Reduced? | 2. Chemical Castration Is Unconstitutional and Often Ineffective | Larry Helm Spalding | Excerpt from "Florida's 1997 Chemical Castration Law: A Return to the Dark Ages", Florida State University Law Review, 1998. |
| Chapter 4: How Can Sexual Violence Be Reduced? | 3. Community Notification Laws Can Help Reduce Sexual Violence | Alan D. Scholle | Excerpt from "Sex Offender Registration" Archived 2006-06-03 at the Wayback Machine, The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, vol. 69, July 2000, p. 17. |
| Chapter 4: How Can Sexual Violence Be Reduced? | 4. Community Notification Laws May Be Ineffective | Joshua Wolf Shenk | Reprint of "Do 'Megan's Laws' Make a Difference?", U.S. News & World Report, vol. 124, March 9, 1998, p. 27. |
| Chapter 4: How Can Sexual Violence Be Reduced? | 5. Rape Shield Laws Are Necessary | Mary E. Bahl | Reprint of "Rape Shield Laws: Who Really Needs Protecting?", Impact Press, 2000. |
| Chapter 4: How Can Sexual Violence Be Reduced? | 6. Rape Shield Laws Are Unfair | Cathy Young | Reprint of "Don't Shield Juries from the Truth in Sex Cases", The Wall Street Journal, April 20, 1998, p. A19. |
| For Further Discussion | | | |
| Organizations to Contact | | | |
| Bibliography of Books | | | |
| Index | | | |