Misogyny
No doubt, Joyce Carol Oates has a bone to pick. It's wrong to say that the novel is a product of "feminism," because there's nothing feministic about the novel. It's not feminism to say that women who are violently raped should be treated with their dignity and humanity. It's just decency. But the novel illustrates so clearly all the ways society fails rape victims. The cause of each type of mistreatment is blatant misogyny. Men can't seem to stop viewing Teena as a sexual object, and even her own support system (what little of it there is) is corrupted by misogyny. The rape was only one way that Teena becomes the victim of misogyny in the novel.
Mistreatment of sexual assault victims
Teena's traumatic experiences don't end with the rape. In fact, she has multiple hurdles to overcome, all of which are traumatic in their own regard. First Teena learns that the victims who need the most patience, consideration, and support (female rape victims especially) are largely ostracized by their loved ones. It's simply easier for people to ignore the truth by saying, "She asked for it." But the trouble doesn't stop there. She must defend herself in court, and many people support the rapists. The cop who helps Teena get back on her feet seems to be hitting on her, even though sex is the last thing on her mind. It seems that Teena must suffer victimhood alone, and there is no help for her daughter who witnessed the event.
The re-traumatizing effects of criminal justice
American civics is built around the idea that citizens can seek justice in the court system. This system fails to provide for Teena, however, because the defense lawyer is legally permitted to make a case for the innocence of his clients (who are violent rapists). This means that Teena is slandered and insulted in front of an audience, even though she is a rape victim. Apparently, the criminal justice system does not protect victims of traumatic crimes against constant mistreatment.
