The relationships between acquaintanceship, resistance, and perceptions of rape were examined. In a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design, subjects were presented with a description of a situation in which the woman was forced to engage in sex. Four levels of acquaintance were included. In addition, the woman either strongly resisted her assailant, or acquiesced to his demands. Subjects were asked to make judgments about the man, the woman and the rape situation. The results revealed that subjects defined rape in terms of the level of resistance evidenced by the woman. The level of acquaintance did not affect the subjects' definition of the situation as rape, although it did affect their attitudes toward prosecution of the assailant. Finally, men and women differ in their use of the acquaintance and resistance dimensions in determining the severity of a situation when coercive sex has occurred. (Author)