Sexual Violence in History: A Bibliography

compiled by Stefan Blaschke

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Alphabetical Index

+ Author Index

+ Speaker Index


Chronological Index

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Geographical Index

+ African History

+ American History

+ Asian History

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Topical Index

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Start: Topical Index: Representations: Religious Texts: Biblical Texts:

Representations: Religious Texts:
BOOKS OF SAMUEL

G e n e r a l   I n f o r m a t i o n

»The Book of Samuel (Sefer Shmuel) is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books (1-2 Samuel) in the Old Testament. The book is part of the Deuteronomistic history, a series of books (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) that constitute a theological history of the Israelites and that aim to explain God's law for Israel under the guidance of the prophets.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)


G e n e r a l   K e y w o r d s

I. Chronological Index: Ancient History: Israelite History

II. Geographical Index: Asian History: Israeli History

III. Topical Index: Cases: Biblical Offenders: Absalom, Amnon, David; Biblical Victims: Bathsheba, Tamar | Types: General: Rape


General

I. Author Index

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II. Speaker Index

[Info] Firth, David, chair. »Book of Samuel: Narrative, Theology and Interpretation / Biblical Ethics.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Virtual 2020.

[Info] Kovalishyn, Mariam K. »Response.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Virtual 2020.

[Info] Müllner, Ilse. »Frightening Continuities: Reading Stories on Sexual Violence in the Book of Samuel Today.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Virtual 2020.



1 Samuel 2

I n f o r m a t i o n

»1 Samuel 2 is the second chapter of the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Samuel in the Christian Bible. It recounts the Song of Hannah, the corruption of the priests descended from Eli, Samuel's ministry to God "even as a child", and the prophecy of a "man of God" against Eli's household.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)


B i b l i o g r a p h y

I. Author Index

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II. Speaker Index

[Info] Smith, Grace. »Violence against women used violently against men: a case of women at Shiloh and the men Benjamin and Israel.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. San Antonio 2023.



2 Samuel 11 (Rape of Bathsheba by David)

I n f o r m a t i o n

»2 Samuel 11 is the eleventh chapter of the Second Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the second part of Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, with additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan, but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts of various ages from c. 630–540 BCE. This chapter contains the account of David's reign in Jerusalem. This is within a section comprising 2 Samuel 9–20 and continued to 1 Kings 1–2 which deal with the power struggles among David's sons to succeed David's throne until 'the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon' (1 Kings 2:46).« (Extract from: Wikipedia)


B i b l i o g r a p h y

I. Author Index

[Info] Abasili, Alexander I. »Was It Rape? The David and Bathsheba Pericope Re-examined.« Vetus Testamentum 61 (2011): 1-15.

[Info] Abasili, Alexander. The Understanding of Adultery in the Hebrew Bible and in Igbo Culture. Ph.D. Thesis, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 2012.

[Info] Abasili, Alexander I. The Understanding of Adultery in the Hebrew Bible: A Critical Survey. Bloomington 2016.

[Info] Ademiluka, Solomon O. »Interpreting the David-Bathsheba narrative (2 Sm 11:2-4) as a response by the church in Nigeria to masculine abuse of power for sexual assault.« HTS Teologiese Studies 77(4) (2021).

[Info] Andruska, Jennifer. »Rape« in the Syntax of 2 Samuel 11:4.« Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 129 (2017): 103-109.

[Info] Bailey, Randall C. David in Love and War: The Pursuit of Power in 2 Samuel 10-12. Sheffield 1990.

[Info] Bal, Mieke. Femmes imaginaires: L'Ancien Testament au risque d'une narratologie critique. Utrecht 1986.

[Info] Bal, Mieke. Lethal Love: Feminist Literary Readings of Biblical Love Stories. Bloomington 1987.

[Info] Bosman, Tiana. »‘Hush-hush’: Hearing the Silent and Silenced Screams of Bathsheba and Tamar in 2 Samuel 11 and 13.« Scriptura 124 (2025).

[Info] Davidson, Richard M. »Did David Rape Bathsheba? A Case Study in Narrative Theology.« Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 17 (2006): 81-95.

[Info] Masenya, Madipoane. »Reading hegemonic masculinities in 2 Samuel 11 in the South African contexts.« Stellenbosch Theological Journal 5 (2019): 399-419.

[Info] Nicol, George G. »The alleged rape of Bathsheba. Some observations on ambiguity in biblical narrative.« Journal for the study of the Old Testament 22 (1997): 43-54.

[Info] Stiebert, Johanna. Rape Myths, the Bible, and #MeToo. New York 2019.

II. Speaker Index

[Info] Jarrard, Eric X. »Palace to Penthouse: Sexual Violence, Consent, and Power in 2 Samuel 11 and HBO's Girls.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Boston 2017.

[Info] Junker, Yohana. »he Painted Bathsheba: Unsettling the Gaze.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Boston 2017.

[Info] Lamb, David T. »Still Blaming the Victim? David's Rape of Bathsheba.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Boston 2017.

[Info] Schmitt, Mary. »Bathsheba and a Theology of Suffering.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Denver 2018.



2 Samuel 13 (Rape of Tamar by Amnon)

I n f o r m a t i o n

»2 Samuel 13 is the thirteenth chapter of the Second Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the second part of Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, with additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan, but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts of various ages from c. 630–540 BCE. This chapter contains the account of David's reign in Jerusalem. This is within a section comprising 2 Samuel 9–20 and continued to 1 Kings 1–2 which deal with the power struggles among David's sons to succeed David's throne until 'the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon' (1 Kings 2:46).« (Extract from: Wikipedia)


B i b l i o g r a p h y

I. Author Index

[Info] Bader, Mary A. Sexual Violation in the Hebrew Bible: A Multi-Methodological Study of Genesis 34 and 2 Samuel 13. New York 2006.

[Info] Bail, Ulrike. Gegen das Schweigen klagen: Eine intertextuelle Studie zu den Klagepsalmen Ps 6 und Ps 55 und der Erzählung von der Vergewaltigung Tamars. Gütersloh 1998.

[Info] Barstad, Hans M. »What is Wrong With the Old Testament? Some Reflections on War and Violence in the Hebrew Bible.« Theology in Scotland 14 (2007): 5-17.

[Info] Begg, Christopher T. »The Rape of Tamar (2 Samuel 13) according to Josephus.« Estudios bíblicos 54 (1996): 465-500.

[Info] Bosman, Tiana. »‘Hush-hush’: Hearing the Silent and Silenced Screams of Bathsheba and Tamar in 2 Samuel 11 and 13.« Scriptura 124 (2025).

[Info] Bukowski, Sylvia. »2. Samuel 13,1-22. Tamar, sexueller Mißbrauch in Davids Familie: Judika (5. Sonntag der Passionszeit).« Mit Eva predigen. Ein anderes Perikopenbuch. Edited by Mieke Korenhof. Düsseldorf 1996: 105-110.

[Info] Claassens, L. Juliana M. Claiming Her Dignity: Female Resistance in the Old Testament. Collegeville 2016.

[Info] Claassens, L. Juliana M. »Trauma and Recovery: A New Hermeneutical Framework for the Rape of Tamar (2 Samuel 13).« Bible through the Lens of Trauma. Edited by Elizabeth Boase et al. Atlanta 2016: 177-192.

[Info] Dadon, Kotel. »Književna i komparativna analiza pripovijesti o Amnonu i Tamari (2 Sam 13,1-22).« Nova prisutnost 23 (2025): 37-59.

[Info] Dadon, Kotel. »Grijeh i kazna: Književna analiza božanske kazne i odgojnih neuspjeha u Abšalomovoj trilogiji (2 Sam 13–15).« Nova prisutnost 23 (2025): 243-262.

[Info] de Sousa, Jhonathan J., et al. »A violência contra as mulheres: uma releitura a partir do caso de Amnon e Tamar narrado em 2 Samuel 13.« Coisas do Gênero 10 (2024): 220-237.

[Info] Downey, H.R. Removing Homosexuality from Sodom: Contextualizing Genesis 19 with Other Biblical Rape Narratives. Master Thesis, Wright State University, 2017.

[Info] Feinglass, Abraham. »The rape of Tamar.« Jewish bible quarterly 20 (1992): 174-181.

[Info] Gray, Mark. »Amnon - a chip off the old block? Rhetorical strategy in 2 Samuel 13.7-15, the rape of Tamar and the humiliation of the poor.« Journal for the study of the Old Testament 23 (1998): 39-54.

[Info] Kaske, R.E. »Amnon and Thamar on a misericord in Hereford Cathedral.« Traditio 45 (1990): 1-6.

[Info] Kebaneilwe, Mmapula D. The Bible and Gender-Based Violence in Botswana. London 2024.

[Info] Keefe, Alice A. »Rapes of women, wars of men.« Semeia 61 (1993): 79-97.

[Info] Ladner, Gertraud. »"Gott, befreie meine Kehle" (Ps 6,5): (Sexualisierte) Gewalt in der Familie in theologischer Perspektive.« Sexualität, Macht und Gewalt: Anstöße für die sexualpädagogische Arbeit mit Kindern und Jugendlichen. Edited by Silvia Arzt et al. Wiesbaden 2018: 113-130.

[Info] Langenhorst, Annegret. »Sprich nicht darüber, meine Schwester Tamar. Unterrichtsvorschläge zu 2 Sam 13,1-22 ab Klasse 9.« Katechetische Blätter 127 (2002): 25-29.

[Info] Létourneau, Anne. »Culture du viol et poil castrateur: Tamar, fille de David, dans le traité Sanhédrin 21a du Talmud de Babylone.« Studies in Religion 49 (2020): 236-252.

[Info] Musendekwa, Menard. »The Unmerited Marginalization of Victims of Gender-based Sexual Violence in 2 Samuel.« The Bible and Gender troubles in Africa: Papers presented at the BiAS meeting 2016 in Harare (Zimbabwe) with several additional contributions. Edited by Joachim Kügler et al. Bamberg 2019: 61-71.

[Info] Paik, Seunghoon. »폭력의 연쇄반응: 구약의 성폭력 내러티브 연구.« 구약논단 30 (2024): 111-140.

[Info] Park, You-mee. »성폭력, 개인의 문제인가 사회적 문제인가? 구약의 ‘여성 성폭력-전쟁’의 패턴에 대한 연구.« 구약논단 24 (2018): 125-155.

[Info] Reis, Pamela T. »Cupidity and stupidity. Woman's agency and the "rape" of Tamar.« Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society 25 (1998): 43-60.

[Info] Reis, Pamela T. »Cupidity and stupidity. Woman's agency and the "rape" of Tamar.« Reading the lines. A fresh look at the Hebrew Bible. By Pamela T. Reis. Peabody 2002: 169-196.

[Info] Ridout, George. »The rape of Tamar. A rhetorical analysis of 2 Sam13:1-22.« Rhetorical criticism. Essays in honor of James Muilenburg. Edited by Jared J. Jackson et al. Pittsburgh 1974: 75-84.

[Info] Rudman, Dominic. »Reliving the rape of Tamar; Absalom's revenge in 2 Samuel 13.« Old Testament essays 11 (1998): 326-339.

[Info] Schulte, Leah R. The Absence of God in Biblical Rape Narratives. Minneapolis 2017.

[Info] Smith, Amanda. A Thing Not Done in Israel. M.A. Thesis, University of Georgia at Athens, 2006.

[Info] Stiebert, Johanna. Rape Myths, the Bible, and #MeToo. New York 2019.

[Info] Tan, Nancy N.H. Resisting Rape Culture: The Hebrew Bible and Hong Kong Sex Workers. London 2020.

[Info] Trible, Phyllis. Texts of terror. Literary-feminist readings of biblical narratives. Philadelphia 1984.

[Info] Trible, Phyllis. Mein Gott, warum hast du mich vergessen! Frauenschicksale im Alten Testament. Gütersloh 1987.

[Info] van der Walt, Charlene. »Hearing Tamar's voice: How the margin hears differently. Contextual readings of 2 Samuel 13:1-22.« lectio difficilior No. 2 (2011).

[Info] van Dijk-Hemmes, Fokkelien. »Tamar and the Limits of Patriarchy: Between Rape and Seduction (2 Samuel 13 and Genesis 38).« Anti-Covenant: Counter-Reading Women's Lives in the Hebrew Bible. Edited by Mieke Bal. Sheffield 1989: 135-156.

[Info] West, Gerald O. »Jesus, Joseph and Tamar Stripped: Trans-textual and Intertextual Resources for Engaging Sexual Violence Against Men.« When Did We See You Naked? Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse. Edited by Jayme R. Reaves et al. London 2021: 110- .

[Info] Woodbridge, Noel, et al. »A Biblical, Psychological and Moral Analysis of the Rape of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13: A Pastoral Response.« Conspectus 25 (2018): 106-123.

[Info] Yamada, Frank M. Configurations of Rape in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary Analysis of Three Rape Narratives. Ph.D. Thesis, Princeton Theological Seminary, 2004.

[Info] Yamada, Frank M. Configurations of Rape in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary Analysis of Three Rape Narratives. New York 2008.

II. Speaker Index

[Info] Adelman, Rachel. »The Rape of Tamar as a Prefiguration for the Fate of Fair Zion (Bat Tzion).« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Denver 2018.

[Info] Bledstein, Adrien J. »Abuse and Recovery: Telling the Story.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Boston 2008.

[Info] Bledstein, Adrien J. »Abuse and Recovery, 2 Samuel 13:1-22: Telling the Story.«International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Rome 2009.

[Info] Bohmbach, Karla G. »A Problematic of Rape: Shechem and Amnon "Become Men".« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. San Francisco 2011.

[Info] Claassens, L. Juliana. »Mourning and Resistance: Trauma Perspectives on the Rape of Tamar (2 Samuel 13).« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Baltimore 2013.

[Info] Dion, Marie-France, et al. »Tamar's Rape and the Coping Mechanisms of Victim, Abuser, Family, and Accomplices.« International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. St. Andrews 2013.

[Info] Ha, SungAe. »Reading Tamar in the Context of Korean "Comfort Women" and "Me Too" Movement.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Denver 2018.

[Info] Homan, Michael M. »Date Rape: How Palm Tree Sexuality Elucidates the Biblical Tales of Tamar.« 31st Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies. Chicago 1999.

[Info] Kline, Joanna G. »The Sense of Speech in the Story of the Rape of Tamar (2 Samuel 13).« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Boston 2017.

[Info] Kunz-Lücke, Andreas. »"Behind closed doors and beyond sight": The Story of the Rape of Tamar in 2 Sam 13, 1-22 in the Light of Deu 22, 14-29.« International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. London 2011.

[Info] Kunz-Lücke, Andreas. »"Behind Closed Doors and Beyond Sight": The Story of the Rape of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:1-22 in Light of Deuteronomy 22:14-29.« International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. London 2011.

[Info] Ramantswana, Hulisani. »Wathint' umfazi, wathint' imbokodo (You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock): Dinah and Tamar as Rape Protestors; The Unsung Heroines in the Rape Stories.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Denver 2018.

[Info] Song, Angeline. »amar, Two Readings of the Story.« International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Tartu 2010.

[Info] Thiede, Barbara. »Bromance in Bible: How Male-Male Friendships in Biblical Literature Can Teach Students about the Use and Misuse of Women and Women's Bodies.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Denver 2018.

[Info] van der Walt, Charlene. »Hearing Tamar's Voice: How the Margin Hears Differently: Contextual Readings of 2 Samuel 13:1-22.« International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. London 2011.

[Info] van Wijk-Bos, Johanna W.H. »Breaking the Silence: The Violation of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13.« Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Virtual 2020.



2 Samuel 15-20 (Rapes by Absalom)

I n f o r m a t i o n

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B i b l i o g r a p h y

I. Author Index

[Info] Dadon, Kotel. »Grijeh i kazna: Književna analiza božanske kazne i odgojnih neuspjeha u Abšalomovoj trilogiji (2 Sam 13–15).« Nova prisutnost 23 (2025): 243-262.

[Info] Musendekwa, Menard. »The Unmerited Marginalization of Victims of Gender-based Sexual Violence in 2 Samuel.« The Bible and Gender troubles in Africa: Papers presented at the BiAS meeting 2016 in Harare (Zimbabwe) with several additional contributions. Edited by Joachim Kügler et al. Bamberg 2019: 61-71.

[Info] Solvang, Elna K. »Guarding the house: Conflict, rape, and David’s concubines.« Sex in Antiquity: Fantasies of sexual assault in Aristophanes. Edited by Mark Masterson et al. London 2014: 50-66.

[Info] Tombs, David. »Abandonment, Rape, and Second Abandonment: Hannah Baker in 13 Reasons Why and the Royal Concubines in 2 Samuel 15-20.« Rape Culture, Gender Violence, and Religion: Biblical Perspectives. Edited by Caroline Blyth et al. Cham 2018: 117-142.

II. Speaker Index

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