Partner Rape

Tropes and genres
Related tropes/genres	rapefic, partner betrayal
See also	non-con
Related articles on Fanlore.

A sub-type of rapefic where the rapist is not an anonymous villain brought in for the purpose of inflicting trauma, nor a villainous canon-regular, but rather is the other half of the duo who are the focus of fannish attention. As the name implies, the trope emerged within the fandoms of buddy cop shows such as The Professionals.

The act of rape may be wholly or partially justified within the story as the result of an outside force, like in a Fuck or Die scenario; done at gun-point, or perhaps the result of a drug. (See also Aliens Made Them Do It and sex pollen.) Also popular are scenarios with a biological imperative to mate causing the rape if the fandom allows for such plot device, such as in some Pon Farr and Heat Fic and other related tropes, so that the rapist is victim of their own biology. Alternately, it may be portrayed as due to repressed attraction and frustration.

A Partner Rape story will often focus on the raped person's feelings of betrayal. Sometimes, the story resolves with the establishment of a romantic relationship between the story's rapist and the rape victim.

Partner betrayal is a broader term that can cover, but is not limited to, partner rape.

Controversy

Partner rape stories are usually at least somewhat contentious within fandom, for multiple reasons. Frequently, there are objections on the grounds that the portrayal of the character as a rapist is inaccurate, and that representation of them that way constitutes vilification. Depending on the details, there may be objections on feminist grounds, such as that the rape is presented as the result of an overwhelming sexual attraction. (This portrayal of rape seems to be on the wane, and is more common in older fiction in older fandoms.)