The Legacy of Lucretia: Rape-Suicides in art, 509 BC-2008 (IN: Suicide and the Creative Arts, edited by S Stack & D Lester)

While rape is a known risk factor for suicidality in both men & women, it has received relatively little attention in suicidology. There is also a relative lack of attention to the extent to which & how rape-suicide has been covered in various art forms. It is clear that one portrayal of rape-suicide, that of Lucretia, has been covered extensively, notably in paintings & prints. It is not clear if the nature of the portrayal of the rape has developed a legacy of its own in literature & film. This chapter fills this void in the literature. An appendix lists films with rape-suicides, including titles, year of circulation & victim characteristics. (21 refs.)