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Psychotherapists see limited numbers of sexually assaulted people. The following case presents a previously undescribed situation of rape during the period when psychotherapy was ongoing. Its importance lies in the opportunity presented to use data gathered before and subsequent to the rape to place the event in perspective. As well, a situation has been provided to develop and test an approach to treatment when the material being dealt with results from an actual tragedy rather than a fantasy.Rape is commonly denned as sexual contact between a man and an unwilling woman other than his wife, with violence or the threat of violence. The literature contains a number of articles on the medico-legal aspects of diagnosis, definition and the preparation of testimony (Bornstein, 1963). Attention to the attacker has often exceeded concern for the victim. Halleck (1962) presents one of the few articles with guidelines for managing the victim of a sexual assault. Only very recently has there been an epidemiologic study of rape and a public health program to aid victims (Hayman et al., 1967(Hayman et al., , 1968).

Problems in psychiatric and psychosocial education arise from the absence of agreement on curricular content, failure to emphasize observable skill development, and the ambivalent views on psychosocial material found in modern medicine. The curriculum for medical students presented here emphasizes an integrated approach to teaching psychiatry and psychosocial material. Great emphasis is placed on interviewing and history-taking as well as on problem-solving. Specific courses in development, psychiatry and ageing are prescribed. Preclinical education in psychiatry emphasizes a bio-psychosocial view of mental disorder.