Abstract

From an ontological foundation of natality, drawing from Hannah Arendt and Adriana Cavarero, this paper concludes that sexual violence uniquely undermines being-in-theworld and being-in-the-world-with-others. The framework of natality is not usually directly applied to sexual violence. Natality roots us ontologically in birth, beginnings and relationality. While the promise of the natal inclines the subject outwards, towards others, the horror of rape freezes victims in objectification, exploits exposure and entangles victims physically and psychically with their abuser. Sexual violence is the very antitheses to the promise of the natal.