Webster's Dictionary describes rape as the crime of forcing another person to submit to sexual acts, especially sexual intercourse. Rape is a crime from which most women cannot defend themselves. The fear of rape affects every woman at some point in her life. The traumatic effects of rape range from mild to severe, from psychological to physical. This article will evaluate rape, as well as the effects it has on women, the theory behind male dominance and patriarchy, and demographic differences. "Rape is a crime that combines sex and violence, which makes sex the weapon in an act of violence." .”(Kimmel 257) For this reason, rape is often traumatic for the rape victim. Many victims suffer what is known as rape trauma syndrome, “…rape trauma syndrome, which consists of an acute phase, in which the primary response is fear, followed by a reorganization phase, characterized by phobias, insomnia , sexual dysfunctions and major changes in life-style.” (Chandler et al pp. 248) These are some of the psychological side effects that women have to endure after rape. There are also other, individual-related factors that impact rape trauma, including “age, prior sexual experience, ethnicity, and the response of significant others to the victim. Factors related to sexual violence, such as the degree of violence and the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator, also influence trauma. "(Chandler et al pp 249) Overall, it is safe to say that there are many psychological effects of rape that allow women to fear rape attack. In many rape situations, the victim is raped by an acquaintance, therefore the victim is less likely to report the rape. “About 15% of college women report having been sexually assaulted; more than half of these assaults were committed by a person the woman was dating” (Kimmel 233) If more than half of sexual assaults and rapes are committed by a person a woman is dating or at least knows, then the people the rapists are the everyday Joes walking down the street, not the psychotic rapists the women are staying with looking. “Additionally, 20 to 50 percent of women have experienced sexual coercion at least once while dating.” (Burke et al 272). This statistic shows that when women are in a relationship they are much less likely to report rape. “Women tend to…middle of paper…that in rapes where the perpetrators are white men, they usually know the victim, however, in cases where the rapists are black men, they tend to be strangers .Abortion is a very controversial issue in our society. However, people tend to think differently about abortions for rape victims is that whether a woman is responsible enough to take the necessary actions to get pregnant, she should be able to have the baby. Churches believe that abortion is murder. However, if a woman is raped, she has not given her consent to have sexual intercourse with the perpetrator Schuman and Scott, although there are many people who have mixed feelings about abortion, in other words they believe that at some times it is right, but at other times they believe it is wrong, the most extreme pro-lifers continue to believe that abortion is wrong “when the pregnancy results from rape or incest”. (Schuman and Scott 786) In these situations, however, pro-choice advocates believe that women have the same right to choose what happens to their bodies. According to Kimmel, in some states abortion is legal only in “cases of 255).