Dreaming Lens: Were you being raped in a dream? Were you witnessing a rape? Were you aware of who the rapist was? Were you the rapist? Was the rape a violent act, or was it an erotic pseudo-rape?
Personal Focus: Although it is conceivable that in the waking world, a woman could rape a man, the notion of rape as a symbol connects to the masculine principle. Women will sometimes dream of being the aggressor in sexual situations and may even have a penis in their dream, or perceive themselves as having one. Because the act of rape is sexual in structure, the symbolic meaning must reflect the same theme as sex that is consensual, which is the coming together or integration of different Character Aspects of the personality. However, rape is an act of violence and when this is combined with the absence of consent, it puts a very different spin on how to interpret it if it should appear in a dream.
When a dream includes something as heinous as rape, it is important to remind yourself—whether you are male or female—that dreams are symbolic, not literal. Rape in a dream is not like rape in life. It simply means that the integration that is occurring within your psyche is being experienced as so abrupt and potentially frightening that the symbolic expression of it appears dramatically. The unconscious will often use nightmares and frightening dreams to get our attention.
If you were raped in the dream, consider the rapist. If he was known to you, then use that person as a Character Aspect to see what part of your own personality is demanding to be dealt with. If he was not known to you, then consider the dream a precursor to a powerful shift that is going on under the surface and is not yet clear. If you cannot glean more helpful insight from this dream, trust that future dreams will inform you of whatever shift is taking place.
If you witnessed a rape, you must look inward to see what aspects of your personality are at odds with one another, for they ultimately need to be integrated and made whole. The rapist would be the part of you that is demanding to be recognized and the victim is the part of you that needs to accept the merging, but may be in resistance to the process. If you were the rapist in your dream, consider the victim as a Character Aspect that represents the part of you that you wish to subdue.
Rape fantasies are common for many people and can be quite erotic and satisfying when handled in an appropriate manner. If the dream of rape was erotic in nature, the meaning is the same, but the integration that is taking place has much lower stakes and may, in fact, be a source of pleasurable anticipation. [1]
The man caught me and I fought. He tried to rape me but couldn’t do it. As I talked to him I began to feel sorry for him and not frightened. I realised that inside he was a nice person. In the end I found I liked him so much I began to kiss him myself (Mrs JB). Rape in dreams is very different from rape in real life, as we create our own dream, so why introduce rape? Perhaps in the above example Mrs JB discovers her own power in the situation as she realises the weakness of the male.
Example: A man is trying to make love and at the last moment I repel him as I know it will cause a pregnancy. When I was about 10 I was raped and for many years had a fear of men’ (Anon.). This is the other side of rape. Rape in this dream may be memories, the effects of which are still visible in the life of this dreamer, causing her difficulties in warm sexuality.
Example: The devil attacked a woman. He was invisible.
The woman turned black as he raped her. She didn’t die. At this point I woke and went to the toiler. On returning to bed I continued the dream, particularly wondenng what I was in conflict with in the image of the devil. I found it disturbinr and frightening to be confronted by such a powerful opponent. Partly because of the rape, I realised it was repressed sexuality. I then approached the “black” woman with tenderness and this transformed the devil into available sexual or emotional energy. I tried this again and again. Each time it worked, and I could observe the devil was my sexual warmth and love which had become negative through restraint’ (Neil V). In this male dream, it is the conflict with his sexuality which causes the devilish’ rape. When he can find tenderness, the negative aspect disappears. Rape also depicts the real evil of another person disregarding our personal needs and feelings, abusing not only the body, but particularly the ‘person’. Being raped by someone known: feeling anxious about sex with them, fighting off desire for them. [2]
If you have been a victim of sexual violence, then your dream may have been trying to resolve your feelings about the trauma.
If this isn’t the case, however, your dream may have been warning you about a predatory person in your life or warning you about someone in your life who is forcing you to do something against your will.
Whether you are raped by a person of the same or the opposite sex in your dream, the images reinforce your feelings of powerlessness and shame at having to bend to (non-sexual) demands in waking life. Your dreaming mind may have sent you this shocking image to encourage you to assert yourself and fight back.
If you are raping someone else in your dream, this expresses your desire to humiliate or put someone in their place in waking life.
If you witnessed someone else being raped in your dream but could not or would not prevent it, the message is again one of powerlessness and your feelings of frustration at being unable to right a wrong in waking life, or protect someone who is vulnerable.
See also: NIGHTMARES; SEX. [3]
It is about power, control, anger, and other very destructive emotions. In order to understand this dream, you may need to think about the areas of your life that causes you great anxiety and fear.
If you are superstitious, take this dream as a warning. Take precautions, protect yourself emotionally and physically and don’t engage in careless behaviors.
If you were a rape victim, the traumatic nature of this experience may cause you to have a dream like this from time to time. [4]
The dream is usually a manifestation of their traumatic encounter.
To witness a rape being committed denotes sexual incapacity or ambivalence. [5]
It is possible that you harbor feelings of vengeance towards the opposite sex. For a woman, it could represent sexual fears or the manifestation of masochistic fantasies.
Even Victorian books about dreams contemplate this image. According to superstition, if a woman dreams of rape, her pride will be damaged. In the case that it is a close friend who suffers, it is saying that you will hear impactful news. [6]
(2) A man’s dream of committing rape would probably be a straightforward symbol of sexual desire, but of a sadistic kind. You probably need to become acquainted with your own feminine qualities - ability to relate, patience, gentleness, etc. - and let them play a larger part in your life. What arc you trying to take vengeance for? Did your mother seem to withdraw her love from you as a boy? [7]
To dream that you are being raped, or even if you dream you see someone else being raped, then avoid loose companions and the seamier side of life’s highways and byways for safeties sake. Also be sure that you check everything on any financial agreement, or any deal so whatever, involving your finances, as the chance of having your bank account ‘raped’, or your business, is very high. [8]
2. Violating your boundaries in a way that gives them pleasure;
3. Abusive control that gratifies the flesh;
4. Someone forcing you to reproduce against your will.
5. A defiling impartation;
6. Forced intimacy interaction that violates your boundaries.
7. Can be a memory or reliving the trauma of abuse. [10]
For a young woman to dream that she has been the victim of rape, foretells that she will have troubles, which will wound her pride, and her lover will be estranged. [12]
See also: Aggression, Intercourse, Sexuality. [13]
See also: Boundaries. [18]
2. Assault on sense of worth, self-esteem.
3. Feelings of vengeance. [20]