Evidence for the outrageous thesis that rape is sexually motivated: The Longitudinal Study of Violence Against Women asked 718 college girls their attitudes about when it is appropriate to have sex, and if they have been victims of rape. Here are the percentages:


Percent raped by when it is okay to have sex

Any time 10.1
On casual dates 26.1
If dating regularly 8.6
If in love and engaged 9.1
After marriage only 5.6


There is a clear pattern here of risk increasing with openness to sex, but why are girls who will sleep with guys at any time less likely to be raped than those who approve of sex on casual dates?

I have long suspected that, contrary to the theory that sexual assault is about control, most rape is sexually motivated. A man is after sexual gratification and will use force as a last resort to get it.

One central fact here is that most sexual assaults are "date rapes."

A girl who will sleep with anyone, on the one hand, exposes herself to a lot of men which elevates her risk above that of the girl who, say, only wants sex after marriage, but she rarely resists the men who attempt sex with so her risk is lower than the more discerning girl who thinks sex is only appropriate if you are on some kind of real date, even if a casual one. This girl experiences the highest rate of assault because she has encounters with many men--some of whom are brutes--but she isn't going to have sex indiscriminately, and on those occasions where she resists advances, the guy might decide to use coercion to get what he wants.

To those of you who subscribe to the "rape isn't about sex" thesis, please explain the numbers displayed above.