I recently got into a discussion with another author about what constitutes non-consensual sex in romance writing. In real life we all subscribe to the legal definition of 'no means no'. When dealing with the cold reality of the situation, there can be no gray areas.
But with romance writing, we have other things we must factor in. Why? Because we are, after all, writing fantasy. As an editor, I personally stay as close to the legal definition as possible. I do this because a book should appeal to a broad audience for the purpose of marketing and because I am a big believer in NOT glorifying rape. There are niche markets out there, and it's perfectly acceptable for authors to tap into those readers. But should non-consensual sex be considered a niche market? I don't think so. But again, that's a personal observation.
There are, and should be, limits to how far an author takes the--what I like to call-"make-me-like-it" fantasy. Some refer to this as the 'rape fantasy'. There are two kinds of rape fantasies. The first one is very harmful and painful. Those fantasies aren't really fantasies at all, but recurring dreams and or fears of being raped or reliving an actual rape. The second rape fantasy is harmless, and is indeed a simple fantasy no different than fantasizing about menage or sex with a stranger. In the harmless rape fantasy, the woman inserts the man of her dreams into her thoughts and in no way feels at risk. So this is why in my mind I changed the term from rape fantasy to make-me-like it. A lot less threatening, in my opinion, and reminiscent of the old bodice-rippers that began the romance genre. Think Kathleen Woodiwiss and The Flame and the Flower or The Wolf and the Dove.
So where should an editor draw the line? For me, there are several factors to be considered. First and foremost, how well do the characters involved know one another?
A lot of romance books will have the hero and heroine at odds and at some point, the hero will toss the heroine over his shoulder and take her to the bedroom. I see nothing wrong with that if it is a well-established relationship. One, this can be their first time in the sack, or two, they could already have had sexual relations and the relationship simply hit a bump in the road. So, the strong Alpha male feels the need to assert his will--and once he gets those luscious lips on her, well ...she's not mad anymore.
For me, a well-established relationship isn't one in which the hero and heroine met the day before and had sex and today they are angry with each other and he "makes her like it". I need a little more than that. There will be some who say that it all depends on the way the author portrays the scene. Well, I think the timeline must be considered before I take a look at how the author actually writes the scene. Readers can count. While it's perfectly fine for a woman to give herself to a man she's just met--her choice--it's not perfectly fine for that man to force his will on her without further knowledge of her heart and mind. And that takes more than a day.
Another thing to be considered is just how threatened the heroine feels. If she doesn't know the man, she should feel threatened. If the man (I can't call him hero in this instance--can't really call him a man either)verbally threatens her with physical punishment in any way, the sex CANNOT be consensual. There are books in which consent is a bit dubious because the hero holds a non-physical threat over the heroine's head. For instance, he holds a bank note and could foreclose on the family farm or he is her boss and can fire her. Now this is a case where it goes to the author's portrayal of the situation. What groundwork has been laid for the relationship? Is the sexual tension well in place before this non-violent threat? Is it clear to the reader that these two are going to end up together? If you can answer yes, then the "threat" isn't really a threat but simply a device to bring the hero and heroine together.
Now in paranormal books, this can be tricky if it involves a mating process. In some paranormals, the hero and heroine realize they are each other's mates, of course. The reader is in on that fact too. And even though the heroine might not take to the idea right away, the book is written in such a way that destiny and physics have already made the decision and she'll come around--sooner or later. In other paranormal stories, sometimes the heroine isn't aware she has met her mate. For instance, you have a human heroine and a vampire, werewolf, or shifter hero. The heroine doesn't have the type of senses that those paranormal creatures have and, of course, wouldn't know she is slated to be the hero's mate. In the case of paranormal, again, it all goes to how the author has portrayed the story up until the point the hero decides to push a little--or a lot. Sexual tension is all-important. The attraction the heroine feels for the hero should be extremely clear prior to the hero's decision to "make her like it". The same goes for sci-fi and BDSM and some of the situations that are depicted in those genres as well.
The bottom line is this: Regardless of what kind of situation you put your hero and heroine in, always make sure that it is believable. That the reader can see and understand the actions of your characters, know their motives. I'm sure some will say that all this interferes with the author's voice. Rape is illegal, a despicable crime against women. Why would any author want to glorify it in any way? Even without knowing they have done so. As authors we sometimes inject actions into our stories that WE see clearly. After all, we are the author, the story begins and ends in our minds. But the reader can't always know the intent, and the author must show this intent constantly. An author cannot simply assume that the reader knows what they are trying to say. Let a second pair of eyes read your work prior to submitting. And once your book is actually contracted, listen to your editor's feedback. They SHOULD know where to draw the line that is oftentimes so subtle it's about as clear as mud.
