TIME described this thesis as “startling,” and called Against Our Will a “convincing and awesome portrait of men’s cruelty to women.” Indeed, Brownmiller’s stated purpose in the book was to “give rape its history,” and she details incidents of sexual violence dating back to the ancient Babylonians, as well as traditions of wartime rape in the modern era. In other words, Brownmiller argued, rape was fundamental to the patriarchal domination of women. In her book, Brownmiller identified a number of deeply ingrained myths about rape: that it is motivated by uncontrollable male lust rather than violence, that female sexuality is inherently masochistic and inviting of rape, and that women “cry rape with ease and glee.” Against Our Will offered a coherent counter-discourse about rape, reframing it as an act of power, even mass terrorism, which had the consequence of controlling female behavior. Against Our Will came out just as anti-rape activists began to create crisis centers, hotlines, self-defense classes and other forms of support for rape survivors.

Brownmiller’s book was part of a larger effort by feminists to change both laws and public attitudes, and to transform a culture that undervalued women’s bodily autonomy. Filing criminal charges required “corroboration” of the assault from witnesses, and a woman’s sexual past could be used by the defense to discredit her accusation. Neither police departments nor hospitals had trained trauma counselors or procedures for collecting evidence or testing for disease. The reasons for this are now obvious: In the 1960s and earlier, a rape victim seeking help would be met, instead, with blame and suspicion. Prior to the women’s movement of the 1970s, it was understood to be a rare occurrence, as few survivors came forward. Rape had been cloaked in stigma and silence for much of American history. Decades later, her arguments are still relevant as politicians, college administrators and activists struggle to address the problem of sexual violence.

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