Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence

Book excerpt: Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence examines sexual violence against women, how religion and society contribute to a rape culture, and the extreme suffering endured by rape victims as a result. Using the testimony of women who have experienced both rape and the consequences of rape culture—from a range of religious, cultural, ethnic, and social contexts—the book explores both the suffering and healing of rape victims from World War II to today. Among the issues considered are victim invisibility, the inability to express pain, and the tendency to assume shame and self-blame. The study examines the role of society in shaping and reinforcing these responses, contributing to traumas that can lead to spiritual death. The book also explores possibilities for multiple spiritual resurrections within the practice of daily life, encouraging both individual healing and social change.