rape

Universal Landscape: Integration of the aspects of personality through violent, forceful means.

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.

Rape in a dream is a positive symbol even though the association with it is very negative because of its abhorrent nature from waking life. Sex is ultimately about integration and the bringing together of aspects of personality. This is true in the world of symbolism even when the act is forceful and violent. Because rape is an act of violence, this, combined with the absence of consent, 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 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 the person was known to you, then use that individual as a character aspect to see what part of your own personality is demanding to be dealt with.

If the person 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.

Example: \ tried to turn but my legs were like lead.

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.