What a brillaint way to convey female characterisation. It is not enough that she goes through bouts of violence but with a sense of false hope too. Lara must literally be broken down mentally as well as physically if she is to become a tough heroic figure. In this, it seems that she has become entrapped within the idea in media that women must be subjected to some kind of physical or sexual violence in order to be made “strong”. This weird glamourization of rape is, in itself, problematic. It is projecting a rather dim view of female sexuality and to the causability of a strong female individual. Some have even argued that the game is suggestive of torture and rape porn which sends out another unfortunate message about the state of female sexuality.

Perhaps I’m over-reacting here. I mean, she is supoosed to be this all-heroic female-archaeologist-adventurer. Some may even argue that the above scene does indeed communicate the seriousness of rape. But surely, by making Lara, a well renowned female sex-symbol in the gaming world, a victim of sexual assault reinforce that rather offensive link between women’s sexuality and rape?   I would argue that YES it does and that perhaps the makers behind the game should reassess what it is they are trying to portray here. In no way is violence and sexual assault typically character strengthening and it is a shame that Crystal Dynamics chose this representation, out of all other possibilities, to define her as a strong female character.