This review addresses a sexual fantasy that remains stigmatized and overall not thoroughly studied, although it is prevalent and has a profoundly erotic nature for many. Rape fantasies and other variations of fantasies pertaining to forced sex are fantasies where a person imagines or dreams about a sexual context of non-consent without necessarily desiring to live this situation in real life.

Rape fantasies have mainly been studied in cis women. Much of the literature on the subject adopts an essentializing perspective on sexuality, especially for gender differences concerning sexual fantasies and domination-submission dynamics. 

Studies on rape fantasies often start with the assumption that these fantasies are atypical, sometimes even considering them as pathological. However, prevalence studies reveal that they are common, with rates estimated as high as 62 % of women entertaining these fantasies (Critelli & Bivona, 2008).

Moreover, this review includes studies that have considered the origin of this type of sexual fantasy. Authors have investigated the association between fantasizing about rape and being a survivor of sexual assault, with divergent results.

In general, most of the studies are quantitative and there seems to be a lack of qualitative studies exploring the experience of people whose fantasy scenarios include rape fantasies. 

​​Anzani, A. et Prunas, A. (2020). Sexual fantasy of cisgender and nonbinary Individuals: A quantitative study. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 46(8), 763-772. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2020.1814917 

Bivona, J. et Critelli, J. (2009). The Nature of women’s rape fantasies: An analysis of prevalence, frequency, and contents. The Journal of Sex Research, 46(1), 33-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490802624406

Bivona, J. M., Critelli, J. W. et Clark, M. J. (2012). Women’s rape fantasies: An empirical evaluation of the major explanations. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41, 1107-1119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9934-6 

Camuso, J. et Rellini, A. H. (2010). Sexual fantasies and sexual arousal in women with a history of childhood sexual abuse. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 25(3), 275-288. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2010.494659 

Critelli, J. W. et Bivona, J. M. (2008). Women’s erotic rape fantasies: An evaluation of theory and research. The Journal of Sex Research, 45(1), 57–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490701808191 

Johnson, D. J., Stewart, C. M. et Farrow, B. (2020). Female rape fantasy: Conceptualizing theoretical and clinical Perspectives to inform practice. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 19(2), 175–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2019.1687383