Neil Gilbert

Many researchers have exaggerated the prevalence of rape, argues Neil Gilbert in the following viewpoint. Because these researchers fail to distinguish between rape and a bad but consensual sexual experience, he asserts, they have created the false perception of a rape epidemic, particularly on college campuses. Furthermore, Gilbert contends, campus antirape programs often perpetuate the stereotype of naive, defenseless women at the mercy of aggressive, forceful men. Such stereotypes demean both women and men and trivialize the problem of sexual violence against women, he concludes. Gilbert is Chernin Professor of Social Welfare at the University of California in Berkeley, California.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. In Gilbert’s opinion, why is Diana Russell’s rape survey flawed?
2. What are some of the disparities between Mary Koss’s study...