Nearly two-thirds of American women have fantasized about a forced sexual encounter. As common as the fantasy is, fewer people are likely to act on it in real life. Many find other means to satisfy this sexual curiosity. Lately, that mode of satisfaction has taken the form of a literary genre known as dark romance.
Dark romance is an evolving genre that has solidified its standards into something particularly extreme over the past decade or so. This literary mode has its origins in Gothic literature of the 18th and 19th centuries, but its contemporary form reaches new levels of transgressive, explicit content.
The male love interests in this genre draw on the psychological theory known as the Dark Triad. These “socially malevolent” personality types include machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. In other words, they fall under an umbrella character archetype known to readers as “morally grey.” Dark Triad male literary love interests also attract a younger female audience. When this psychological inclination combines with the marketing and exposure available on social media, young women become the obvious target audience for a genre that oftentimes seems to glamorize harmful dynamics.
One of the most well-known dark romance books—with tens of millions of readers—is “Haunting Adeline” by H.D. Carlton.
Its first non-consensual sexual encounter occurs about a third of the way in. Zade, the male love interest, forcefully penetrates the female lead, Adeline, with a gun. Of course, seeing as this is a dark romance novel, Adeline resists but eventually gives in to what becomes an orgasmic experience. Just a couple of chapters later, Zade ties a sleeping Adeline to her bed before performing oral sex on her. Both of these encounters, by definition, are sexual assault. They are also meant to serve as erotically charged interactions that begin to build the relationship between these characters. This raises the question: how are readers supposed to reconcile their morality with dark romance content?
It’s important to note that the circumstances in “Haunting Adeline” (minus the gunplay) reflect the typical erotic forced-sex fantasy experience. Usual markers include an attractive man, incapacitation, token resistance (deep down, she secretly “wants it”), orgasm, and a male perpetrator “motivated by uncontrollable longing and the desire to enhance her pleasure.” Zade Meadow meets these qualifications to a tee. Later in the novel/series, the characters discuss the non-consensual experiences that jump-started their relationship. Both acknowledge that it was morally wrong. They both also excuse Zade’s behavior after he assures her he only acted this way because, deep down, he knew she truly desired it.
While “Haunting Adeline” accurately depicts the sort of scenarios that take place in forced-sex fantasies, readers can also raise concern over how the events in this book are supposed to be Adeline’s reality. Exploring the boundaries of consent is a hallmark of the dark romance genre. However, perhaps it could do so in a more informative manner for readers, rather than a removed-from-reality portrayal that largely disregards consent in an era when people are trying to be more socially conscious of the concept.
Another popular dark romance book takes a creative approach to depicting simulated non-consensual experiences; Rina Kent’s “God of Wrath” frames the sex scenes of her novel through the lens of consensual non-consent (CNC) kinkplay.
Before the main love interests begin their encounters, the female lead, Cecily, joins an app called “Primal Play”. Here, she fills out extensive preferences for what sort of scenarios she is interested in pursuing, establishes a safe word, specific limits/hard “nos”, and is paired with someone of similar sexual interest. The book even includes a section clarifying that the app requires a birth control status entry, periodical submissions of clean STD tests, and requests that users use condoms during any act.
Kent is able to create high-stakes scenarios, like “Haunting Adeline,” with the caveat of a safe word and pre-established boundaries—therein lies the difference between non-consensual and simulated non-consent encounters. Kent shows that dark romance can still lean into the forced encounters that many young women and readers fantasize about without romanticizing actual rape. Framing these novels with CNC kinkplay also helps educate readers as to how they can establish boundaries in real life, should they choose to take the action off the page.
Dark romance is not inherently problematic. Taboo fantasies deserve to have outlets for exploration. However, authors have a responsibility to deliver this content conscientiously and informatively. Readers have a responsibility to choose what type of content they consume. Popularizing the pre-established consent approach to non-consensual fantasies in dark romance would help to standardize limits and boundaries within the genre that looks to push them beyond the norm.
Featured image via Matias North on Unsplash
