"do you mean consensual bondage, someone being pressured into sex, or flat out rape?"

A mix of the last two usually. That's the one I'm doing.

"If it's the last two, you must make it squicky and disturbing. I get the impression that people usually write these fics as a fantasy, so they try to make it all sexy. But in real life, something like this would be horrible and unhappy and really, really disgusting."

Yeah, I know. I've got this one fic ("Harry Potter and the Shattered World") with a fairly graphic scene just to really rub it in that rape is not fun at all and if by any chance the victim orgasms, they won't actually want to and it will humiliate them further. And no, she won't in my fic.

"It's also worth considering what age these guys are."

I was thinking seventh year so that I don't get arrested and all that.

"For one, we really, really, really don't need to see all the filthy and disgusting actions implied in such a situation."

Usually I'd agree, but with Shattered World, I'm putting it all in so that you do see it. Because maybe, by reading it, some authors may finally understand the true horror of rape. I direct you to Bottled Feelings on FF.net (another HP fic). Perfect example of an "I've been raped give me comfort sex" fic.

" Try focusing on the thought process of the predator and/or victim instead."

Victim is a given. I try not to focus on the predator because that might give the readers some form of pity, which I don't want. There's only one rapist in my stories who deserves pity and it wasn't for the rape itself, but the circumstances that he was caught in that led him to that moment (it's hard to explain without ruining the plot, but it does make sense).

"If you must have them keep the situation a secret, give them a good emotional reason. A lot of people just come up with a wimpy excuse and move on."

Yeah, I'm trying to come up with a good blackmail thing.

"Remember, there's NOTHING WRONG with the authorities finding out about the predator in the end"

In Shattered World, they find out at the beginning. Harry's daughter's rapes and the rest of the fic is finding out who did it while he tries to help her get through it all.

"Alternatively, you might have the girl decide that she cannot tell anyone about this situation, and therefore must take care of the predator herself, which could lead to some sort of cat-and-mouse game..."

Bits of that in Shattered, too.

"I'm really getting a little too much into this, aren't I?"

Not at all. You've been very helpful so far.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that Ginny and Hermione are strong, smart girls. They're both very capable witches, they're both strong-minded, and they definitely wouldn't just lie down and take it. They'd do something about the situation. Take out that struggle, and I think you'd be leaving out a major part of their character."

Yeah, you see my problem. An OC wouldn't have the same impact as a character we know and love, but the Canon characters aren't weak and pathetic. All the females I can think of (Susan Bones, Luna Lovegood etc) were in Dumbledore's Army, which shows their character and their conviction.

Thanks very much for your response and for not calling the cyberpolice on me.