Partly due to its consequences on the physical and mental health but also because of women?s constant fear of being violated, rape is considered to be a public health issue. The theoretical aspects of rape were first discussed in the 1970?s mainly from the viewpoints of Susan Brownmiller and Michel Foucault. The aim of this literature study is to investigate the different perspectives on whether rape should be viewed as sex or violence, how the controversy has developed and what the authors claim that the different perspectives result in.