Dreams about Rape, Incest, and Sexual Harrassment
VICIOUS ATTACK AND RAPE—THE DREAM:This dream has been bothering me for days and is the most vivid dream I ever had. It starts out with me as a waitress, waiting on a table of a man, his wife and their pet dog. The dog is missing his front legs which seems normal in the dream. Then I was closing up for the night on my own when the two-legged dog comes out of nowhere and starts attacking; I was terrified. The dog keeps trying to bite my neck while I try to hold its mouth shut to keep it from breathing so it won't kill me. It felt like the struggle went on for hours.Suddenly the man appears and the dog stops. I feel a huge relief but then the man comes after me and forces me into a back room. I try to keep calm and talk him out of it but he does not stop, I remember every horrifying detail of him ripping off my clothes, taking his clothes off and proceeding to rape me.I try my hardest to escape as a life or death situation. I reach out to the top of a dusty cupboard, screaming and crying, and find a knife with a saw blade. I stab him in the chest three times and run out of the building into a neighborhood covered in Christmas lights, screaming for help as the man and dog chase me.I run up to a house where there are children standing outside and ask them to get their mother so she can help me. They see the man behind me and I realize it is their father. Then I woke up.FELT HOW: Terrified and distraught. MAIN LIFE ISSUES: Stress, probation.STORY LINE: It’s a story about being in a bad, strange circumstance that goes from bad to worst, held against one’s will and attacked, getting free yet not quite escaping.SYMBOLS:Dog with missing front legs: A limited, disabled creature.Attacked by dog: Harmed by creature that is normally friendly.Rape: Someone overpowers, controls, and violates.I stab rapist in chest: Taking extreme yet necessary measures to protect oneself; defending oneself.Tries to bite my neck: An attempt to destroy; neck as area for communication and hence, trying to cut off one’s ability to talk.A long struggle: A long challenge, difficulty. WHAT IT MEANS:Rape is a metaphor for being attacked, which can be verbal or emotional attacks. Since you are “on probation,” as a trial period related of some sort (on a new job or with the law), you feel vulnerable. The dream says the challenges feel like a life or death situation. Rape, as a metaphor, hints that the attack do not feel justified and may be motivated by someone who likes to feel powerful and uses it in negative ways. You are in a vulnerable position and it feels terrifying.The end of a dream often shows the outcome. It shows you get yourself past the worst part but still meet a brick wall. That means whatever happens, you’ll have to tough it out until you can move on to a better situation.BOTTOM LINE: The dream is a heads up that you are in a job or situation where those in authority are not kind and there is nothing you can do about it. It points out that you are strong, and in the end, you prevail. Move along when you can.
HARASSED IN A BAR—THE DREAM: I was at a bar with a guy friend. We go our own ways and there is a man at the bar who won’t leave me alone. The man backs me into a corner, forcing a kiss and takes my clothes off. I smell alcohol on his breath which sends me into a flashback of my past of being sexually abused. I slam the heel of my palm into his nose and break it, then run to find my friend and tell him to get me out of there. The man follows us and tries to hit my friend who ducks and hits the man. My friend and I get outside; I’m crying, my friend is pissed off, trying to figure out what happened. I tell him about my past and what had happened in the bar.FELT HOW: Scared and real.MAIN LIFE ISSUES: Past sexual abuse, relationship trouble.STORY LINE: Someone feels violated which brings up real past violations and getting help.SYMBOLS: Bar: A place where strangers meet.Girl’s Best Guy friend: Someone who helps; a non-sexual friend who supports; can also be image of a woman’s own inner strength.Won’t leave me alone: Someone is too aggressive.Force Kiss and take my clothes off: Forcing self on another.Smell alcohol on breath: Noticing another is not in control of self.Break his nose: Defending self; act of self defense.Duck a punch: Escape an immediate threat.Trying to figure out what happened: Looking for solutions. WHAT IT MEANS:Sexual abuse in childhood does horrors to a child’s heart and soul. Your dream is telling you that the trauma of your early abuse is getting in the way of establishing a relationship and allowing true love and passion to enter your life, in a way that feels safe. The dream invites you to acknowledge the pain of your past and realize that you can’t heal it alone, the early pain scars that are too deep. There are support groups and counselors who can help. For your own happiness and welfare, explore those options.BOTTOM LINE: People do heal from past abuse and, in time, they create wonderful relationships, but you cannot do it alone. Find a group or a counselor. As healing unfolds, you will find a new life.
I WATCH A FRIEND GET RAPED—THE DREAM:A girl I did not know was my friend and we were at her house. Her brother invited a friend over who was really thuggish, who raped my friend in front of me. I tried to make him stop but he said he would kill us. She was screaming and crying as he brutally raped her. I called 911 but the next thing I knew was I was looking at the dress she wore when she was raped and killed, but no one cared. I was so upset and heart broken about what happened to her.FELT HOW: Sad and disturbedMAIN LIFE ISSUES: Concerned about my marriage if it will work. STORY LINE: Someone is distressed as they witness another who overpowers and degrades.SYMBOL: Rape: Someone overpowers another; trespassing, assault, misuse of power.WHAT IT MEANS:The dream asks: Who in your life tries to overpower? In your marriage, does one partner act in a controlling manner? If so, the dream hints the person on the receiving end feels raped and violated. It puts you in touch with how that feels and reveals. The dream might be about your marriage or can be about someone else around you like a work associate or friend, who you notice is being mistreated.Bottom line: If this issue is about a dynamic in your marriage, bring up the issue and get professional help; your marriage may depend on it. If it refers to a friend or associate, be supportive and caring until they get help or learn to assert themselves.
WATCHING SON RAPE HIS MOTHER—THE DREAM: In the dream, a mother in her 50’s or 60’s is my next door neighbor. She looks untidy, dirty, and a bit like a junkie. In the next part her son who is in his 30’s is raping his mother in the back of a hatch back car with the hatch door open. The mother looks barely conscious, is pale and has cuts all over her face. I yell out to him. The son charges over to my house and tries to attack me but I run to each door and lock it before he can get in. I call the police just as he is breaking a window and wake up.FELT HOW: Scared, anxious.MAIN LIFE ISSUES: Work stress.STORY LINE: Someone watches another mistreat and disrespect someone they should respect and support even though the person is a mess. The observer cannot stop them and has to protect self. SYMBOLS:Mother: Someone who nurtures others; someone who generally deserves respect. A neighbor: Someone unrelated but who is close by, that you watch; in this dream, a metaphor for work associates who are not treated well. Untidy and dirty: Metaphor for someone who is not in good mental shape; as a lack of hygiene, can denote someone who is depressed.Raping one's mother: An act of great disrespect; breaking social norms, taboos. Hurting what is most vulnerable. Barely conscious: Hardly aware of what is going on.Yelling out: Trying to stop something bad, getting attention; letting someone know they are being observed. Locking doors: Withdrawing to a safe place; protecting self.WHAT IT MEANS:With work stress as a main issue, the dream mirrors a work situation. It depicts bosses, associates or circumstances where you see people being treated badly and disrespected, instead of being helped and supported, as a travesty that deeply offends you. The dream shows that even though you would like to help, you are not in a position to do so. All you can do is protect yourself.BOTTOM LINE: The dream mirrors your pain as you observe what is not right, around you (likely at work), and cannot change it.
STALKER THREATENS ME—THE DREAM: In my dream I received a book that describes everything I’ve done and am planning to do, including my pictures. The book also had messages which I did not understand; some were threats, as if someone is stalking me. I became scared and worried and started looking for the person who made the threats. I woke-up feeling sad.FELT HOW: Scared and curious. MAIN LIFE ISSUES: Have just been through a break-up. STORY LINE: Someone is warned that another can become a threat.SYMBOLS: Book describes past and future: A signal that dream is about the future.Threats: What can become a danger, what can be dangerous.Woke up feeling sad: Feelings are often the first clue to the meaning of a dream; in this case, it brings up sadness about how recent relationship can have repercussions. WHAT IT MEANS:It’s said we pre-dream everything of importance that happens to us, so with this dream, you might want to take great care. Whether it’s the ex who becomes a threatening stalker or someone else, taking precautions for your safety for a while such as not to be alone in unsafe places and times, may be warranted. On the other hand, most dreams are symbolic and the sadness at the end suggests the dream is about you digesting the relationship and the break up. In that case it shows you may be too engrossed in the relationship even though it is over (going through the book) and invites you to run though what happened yet not feel threatened or vulnerable by the experience and go forward. BOTTOM LINE: Dreams are not just stories; they are a reflection and a comment on actual life situations, and sometimes, when it is warranted, dreams give you a warning.
HARASSED IN A BAR—THE DREAM: I was at a bar with a guy friend. We go our own ways and there is a man at the bar who won’t leave me alone. The man backs me into a corner, forcing a kiss and takes my clothes off. I smell alcohol on his breath which sends me into a flashback of my past of being sexually abused. I slam the heel of my palm into his nose and break it, then run to find my friend and tell him to get me out of there. The man follows us and tries to hit my friend who ducks and hits the man. My friend and I get outside; I’m crying, my friend is pissed off, trying to figure out what happened. I tell him about my past and what had happened in the bar.FELT HOW: Scared and real.MAIN LIFE ISSUES: Past sexual abuse, relationship trouble.STORY LINE: Someone feels violated which brings up real past violations and getting help.SYMBOLS: Bar: A place where strangers meet.Girl’s Best Guy friend: Someone who helps; a non-sexual friend who supports; can also be image of a woman’s own inner strength.Won’t leave me alone: Someone is too aggressive.Force Kiss and take my clothes off: Forcing self on another.Smell alcohol on breath: Noticing another is not in control of self.Break his nose: Defending self; act of self defense.Duck a punch: Escape an immediate threat.Trying to figure out what happened: Looking for solutions. WHAT IT MEANS:Sexual abuse in childhood does horrors to a child’s heart and soul. Your dream is telling you that the trauma of your early abuse is getting in the way of establishing a relationship and allowing true love and passion to enter your life, in a way that feels safe. The dream invites you to acknowledge the pain of your past and realize that you can’t heal it alone, the early pain scars that are too deep. There are support groups and counselors who can help. For your own happiness and welfare, explore those options.BOTTOM LINE: People do heal from past abuse and, in time, they create wonderful relationships, but you cannot do it alone. Find a group or a counselor. As healing unfolds, you will find a new life.
I WATCH A FRIEND GET RAPED—THE DREAM:A girl I did not know was my friend and we were at her house. Her brother invited a friend over who was really thuggish, who raped my friend in front of me. I tried to make him stop but he said he would kill us. She was screaming and crying as he brutally raped her. I called 911 but the next thing I knew was I was looking at the dress she wore when she was raped and killed, but no one cared. I was so upset and heart broken about what happened to her.FELT HOW: Sad and disturbedMAIN LIFE ISSUES: Concerned about my marriage if it will work. STORY LINE: Someone is distressed as they witness another who overpowers and degrades.SYMBOL: Rape: Someone overpowers another; trespassing, assault, misuse of power.WHAT IT MEANS:The dream asks: Who in your life tries to overpower? In your marriage, does one partner act in a controlling manner? If so, the dream hints the person on the receiving end feels raped and violated. It puts you in touch with how that feels and reveals. The dream might be about your marriage or can be about someone else around you like a work associate or friend, who you notice is being mistreated.Bottom line: If this issue is about a dynamic in your marriage, bring up the issue and get professional help; your marriage may depend on it. If it refers to a friend or associate, be supportive and caring until they get help or learn to assert themselves.
WATCHING SON RAPE HIS MOTHER—THE DREAM: In the dream, a mother in her 50’s or 60’s is my next door neighbor. She looks untidy, dirty, and a bit like a junkie. In the next part her son who is in his 30’s is raping his mother in the back of a hatch back car with the hatch door open. The mother looks barely conscious, is pale and has cuts all over her face. I yell out to him. The son charges over to my house and tries to attack me but I run to each door and lock it before he can get in. I call the police just as he is breaking a window and wake up.FELT HOW: Scared, anxious.MAIN LIFE ISSUES: Work stress.STORY LINE: Someone watches another mistreat and disrespect someone they should respect and support even though the person is a mess. The observer cannot stop them and has to protect self. SYMBOLS:Mother: Someone who nurtures others; someone who generally deserves respect. A neighbor: Someone unrelated but who is close by, that you watch; in this dream, a metaphor for work associates who are not treated well. Untidy and dirty: Metaphor for someone who is not in good mental shape; as a lack of hygiene, can denote someone who is depressed.Raping one's mother: An act of great disrespect; breaking social norms, taboos. Hurting what is most vulnerable. Barely conscious: Hardly aware of what is going on.Yelling out: Trying to stop something bad, getting attention; letting someone know they are being observed. Locking doors: Withdrawing to a safe place; protecting self.WHAT IT MEANS:With work stress as a main issue, the dream mirrors a work situation. It depicts bosses, associates or circumstances where you see people being treated badly and disrespected, instead of being helped and supported, as a travesty that deeply offends you. The dream shows that even though you would like to help, you are not in a position to do so. All you can do is protect yourself.BOTTOM LINE: The dream mirrors your pain as you observe what is not right, around you (likely at work), and cannot change it.
STALKER THREATENS ME—THE DREAM: In my dream I received a book that describes everything I’ve done and am planning to do, including my pictures. The book also had messages which I did not understand; some were threats, as if someone is stalking me. I became scared and worried and started looking for the person who made the threats. I woke-up feeling sad.FELT HOW: Scared and curious. MAIN LIFE ISSUES: Have just been through a break-up. STORY LINE: Someone is warned that another can become a threat.SYMBOLS: Book describes past and future: A signal that dream is about the future.Threats: What can become a danger, what can be dangerous.Woke up feeling sad: Feelings are often the first clue to the meaning of a dream; in this case, it brings up sadness about how recent relationship can have repercussions. WHAT IT MEANS:It’s said we pre-dream everything of importance that happens to us, so with this dream, you might want to take great care. Whether it’s the ex who becomes a threatening stalker or someone else, taking precautions for your safety for a while such as not to be alone in unsafe places and times, may be warranted. On the other hand, most dreams are symbolic and the sadness at the end suggests the dream is about you digesting the relationship and the break up. In that case it shows you may be too engrossed in the relationship even though it is over (going through the book) and invites you to run though what happened yet not feel threatened or vulnerable by the experience and go forward. BOTTOM LINE: Dreams are not just stories; they are a reflection and a comment on actual life situations, and sometimes, when it is warranted, dreams give you a warning.