Portraying a Sexual Assault

So one of my characters ends up captured by the enemy. Due to the fact her brother defected to the 'dark side' and wants to convert her, she is treated well through most of her imprisonment. She tries to kill him, but fails, it hits his Berserker Button and he stops giving a damn about her. // But shortly after, another one of the minor villains sneaks into the cell where she is kept and tries to rape her. He doesn't get very far (no more than a forceful kiss and threats), mostly due to the fact he was drunk at the time and she is a [[quite skilled fighter]] and promptly kicked his ass.

• Once she escapes, she seems somewhat shaken from the incident, but quickly 'gets better' due to much emotional support from her friends. She's been through a lot worse (including some mild forms of Cold-Blooded Torture and severe emotional distresses)
  • I REALLY don't want it to seem like she's shrugging off something that is very serious in real life, because this is a very sensitive topic. But I don't want the incident to completely define her as a character. Does anyone note any particularly notable Unfortunate Implications from the context I've given you?

Do you need to have this person be subject to a sexual assault? Is it strictly necessary to the story?

Well, I was planning (because he was drunk and carrying a bottle at the time) after she beats him off, the bottle breaks. She manages to find one of the larger pieces of broken glass and uses it to cut through her bonds, allowing her to escape. So this isn't just a mild case of Rape as Backstory.

• I was actually consciously trying to avert Gratuitous Rape, because it really peeves me off. But, as she's a young woman who essentially becomes a prisoner of war, one could infer that that is a genuine possibility.

I found this really cool and informative blog thing that I think needs mentioning since it's very much related to this: http://thefearmythos.com/2013/02/09/article-sexual-assault-and-your-fearblog/

I highly recommend you read it.

Since he doesn't get very far, it doesn't seem inappropriate to me. Just give her something obviously more important to worry about, and shrugging it off would seem natural.

As for the linked article, it was very interesting and informative. I think the author made some very good points, although they overstate their case a bit. They seem to make no distinction between mild forms of sexual assault (the writer defined that as any form of unwanted sexual contact, so an unsolicited kiss on the cheek qualifies) and rape, all of which seems a bit broad to me. And claiming that the consequences of unwanted sexual contact can never end also seems overstated. I would think it depends on the person. Otherwise, it was well done.

edited 30th May '13 8:22:00 AM by demarquis

Thanks for the link, it's actually quite helpful

I depict a sexual assault on a FMC in my own work (a near gang-rape). I didn't run afoul of any of the rules on that article (at least I dont think so) but I did find it to be a very tough scene to write.

@Tehpillowstar: While a thought provoking article, I felt it was poorly written at best and at worse, potentially misleading. Perhaps my biggest pet peeve is of people who write and present themselves as experts yet have - or provide - zero basis for what they spout. Who is this paragon of knowledge that makes her such an authority on the subject matter? Best I can tell, the author, Red Rocking Hood, is a fiction writer. Meaning that at best, she is an expert on things that aren't real - which isn't to say aren't based on things that are, but that her forte is on things that don't have to be. From what I can gather, she has zero evidence or insight - be it personal experience or as work as a counselor, etc - on the subject of rape.

Perhaps my biggest issue with the article is on the part where she boldly claims that "the consequences never end", no exception. The truth is that while some never fully recover, there are those - through (trained, professional) help and support - who do manage to recover and move on; going on to lead normal, well adjusted lives. Many a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor or victim can attest to this. Rape victims are not permanently damaged any more than a victim of a mugging or someone who's been in an accident.

Another point of contention is the author's inconsistent stance on the use of anecdotal evidence. She dismisses counter-arguments based on anecdotes (In my experience, when I say that, there’s always someone who goes: “But what if -” No. “But I knew this person -” Seriously, no.) yet later in the article uses anecdotes of her own as evidence (Yes, the sexual assault left scars on your character – that does not mean their sexuality changed. I’ve actually heard someone say they’d be bisexual, if they hadn’t been raped by a man – that’s not true. She’s still attracted to men; I’ve seen the evidence of that.). Maybe it's just her writing style but it just makes her come across as hypocritical and biased.

Okay. I think I'm done now. /rant

edited 31st May '13 11:42:46 AM by peasant

So, overall you basically agree with me.