Maybe Rape Is Not Always so Bad

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“He held her as if his flesh had cut through hers and she felt the bones of his arms on the bones of her ribs, her legs jerked tight against his, his mouth on hers” (Rand 216). The narrator begins the scene by describing every detail and giving insight to the current situation of Dominique and Roark, which lingers on the sexual tension between them. Scenes leading up to this clearly show that both these people want each other. Although that does not necessarily make the sex consensual, while the sex is needed. If Roark had not raped Dominique she would have never been able to become free.

Despite the common thought that it is not rape if it is enjoyed, Roark did rape Dominique. This is because rape can be defined as forced or unwanted sex, to gain power. However, this inaccurate phrase about rape not being rape when it is enjoyed is often used in situations when rape is occurring, and the victim first protests, but then starts having fun; which is is exactly what happened in this scene. “She lay still in his arms, in the first instant, in the shock of feeling his skin against hers, the thing she had thought about, had expected, had never known to be like this, could not have known, because this was not part of living, but a thing one could not bear longer than a second” (Rand 216). Dominique was scared by these forceful actions and was left unsure what to do; because of this many individuals place the blame on Dominique stating that she did not fight against it, which makes the sex consensual, but they are mistaken. “She fought like an animal. But she made no sound. She did not call for help” (Rand 216). She did fight and struggled with it, even if she did not call for help its does not matter because if she did call for help, there is a good chance that no one would have heard her. Besides not calling for help, she did everything that she could to not submit herself to him. Letting him take control of her was something she did not want to allow, so should fought as long as she possibly could. “She tried to tear herself away from him” (Rand 216). As she did continue to try to tear her self away it was not effective, so rather than continuing to struggle by putting up a fight she just submitted herself to him.

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