QUESTION: I have been reading about "date rape" that may occur on our college campuses.
It certainly has made me think.
Do you think that the same situations might apply to married couples, and that such a thing as "marriage rape" is possible?
ANSWER: Unfortunately, marital rape can and does occur.
However, it's hard to calculate its frequency, since personal definitions of rape can vary.
Some women consider it their marital duty to engage in sexual intercourse even when they do not desire it themselves, and, in such cases, a rape in this sense is not always easy to define. In general, however, I'd define marital rape as any act of intercourse that is forced on a wife by her husband under threat or without her consent. Intercourse should be defined as oral, anal, or vaginal penetration. Therefore, if a wife is forced to submit to sexual activity, it can be assumed she is being violated no matter what her relationship to the man may be, and despite the fact that she is married to him. Several years ago, a study on wife rape was performed in San Francisco. In a random survey of nearly a thousand women, approximately one out of every seven reported an attempted or completed rape by their husbands or ex-husbands a surprising and sad statistic to report in answer to your question.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
