Compelling Engagements: Feminism, Rape Law, and Romance FictionAfter decades of rape law reform, it is still being argued that the criminal justice system fails rape victims, that too few cases are prosecuted and too few prosecutions result in conviction. Compelling Engagements is a ground-breaking work which investigates the narratives of rape law and of romance fiction, and explores the outmoded and strikingly similar depictions of their normative female subjects. These are women who are not only vulnerable but also evidently worthy of the protections or rewards promised: punishment of the rapist or the hero's love. Larcombe's analysis explores: the definitions of "rape" in the criminal law and "romance" in Harlequin Mills and Boon fiction; the feminine subjects represented in the texts of rape law and romance fiction; the feminised subject positions the texts produce: the rape complainant and the romance reader; particular fictionalisations of the rape complainant and the romance reader: the false rape complainant and the ideal romance consumer; and how these fictionalisations serve the interests of the criminal justice system and the romance publishing industry. Larcombe shows how the legal construction of gender and subjectivity in rape law is still working to disempower victims. She suggests feminism's failure to accommodate women's investment in heroines of romance fiction has limited their effectiveness in transforming rape law. Compelling Engagements is an original and engaging analysis, and fascinating reading for anyone who deals with rape as part of the criminal justice system. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 43
Page 5
... arguments are foregrounded by each reading . With regard to rape law , I argue that the continued construction and application of particular fictions of gendered subjectivity has contributed to the failure of rape law reforms . While ...
... arguments are foregrounded by each reading . With regard to rape law , I argue that the continued construction and application of particular fictions of gendered subjectivity has contributed to the failure of rape law reforms . While ...
Page 6
... argue - if only because it is necessary to prolong the story and hence the reader's pleasure . Individual readers thus have at least some degree of investment in romance's particular fiction of femininity , whether they conform to it or ...
... argue - if only because it is necessary to prolong the story and hence the reader's pleasure . Individual readers thus have at least some degree of investment in romance's particular fiction of femininity , whether they conform to it or ...
Page 7
... argued that the protective measures of rape law are manifestly and grossly inadequate ; or that the romantic ideal of true love offers little com- pensation to women in reality . These failings do not change , however , the regulative ...
... argued that the protective measures of rape law are manifestly and grossly inadequate ; or that the romantic ideal of true love offers little com- pensation to women in reality . These failings do not change , however , the regulative ...
Page 8
... argument developed in this book is that effective critique of the reproduction of gendered subjectivity through rape ... argue that the subject positions of " rape complainant " and " romance reader " are influential in deter- mining the ...
... argument developed in this book is that effective critique of the reproduction of gendered subjectivity through rape ... argue that the subject positions of " rape complainant " and " romance reader " are influential in deter- mining the ...
Page 10
... argument , however , is that rape law reform has not succeeded in displacing gender hierarchy , gendered binaries and hetero- normativity from the legal definition and investigation of rape . Adoption of gender - neutral terminology is ...
... argument , however , is that rape law reform has not succeeded in displacing gender hierarchy , gendered binaries and hetero- normativity from the legal definition and investigation of rape . Adoption of gender - neutral terminology is ...
Contents
13 | |
Desire and Love Gendering Subjectivity | 34 |
The Fortitude of Heroines | 59 |
Heroines and the InSecurity | 78 |
Fear and Hope | 97 |
Preferred Readers and Other Romances | 115 |
Compelling Engagements | 135 |
Index | 161 |
Common terms and phrases
accused appeal argue attempts Australian basis become changes chapters complainant's consent consequence construction consumer contemporary continue conviction course criminal law critics cultural defence desire effect engagements evidence example experience explains fact false false complaint fantasy female feminine subjectivity feminist gender genre Harlequin hero hero's heroine heroine's heterosexual exchange ideal individual interests issues judges jury knowledge law and romance law's limited means mind narrative nature non-consent normative object particular person pleasures political popular romance position practice Press problem produced promises prosecution provides publishers questions rape complainant rape law rape victim reading reason reform relations relationship representation represented reproduce requirement resistance respect romance fiction romance reader satisfaction satisfied sense sexual assault sexual penetration social specific standard story successful suggest takes testimony texts true understand victim violence woman women women's romance Writing
References to this book
Choice and Consent: Feminist Engagements with Law and Subjectivity Rosemary C. Hunter,Sharon Cowan No preview available - 2007 |