When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and raped her. His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.
Genesis 34:2-3 (NIV)
Genesis describes Shechem as an incredibly bad man. After forcing himself on Dinah, he “spoke tenderly to her,” which is precisely the kind of thing a serial abuser does.
But it’s even worse than that. The oldest rabbinical traditions hold that Dinah is only 8 years old here.
There is nothing new under the sun.
In the Jewish commentaries, Rashi is explicit. He says “lay with her” is the natural way one lies with another. “Violated her” is the unnatural way. This passage should turn your stomach. You should feel the wrath that the brothers feel. That’s the point.
Interestingly, the Midrash contains a story that suggests that Dinah is later given in marriage as Job’s second wife. This tradition likely stems from a strong desire to see her restored, and places her next to a man of great honor. While I don’t believe that “being married to Job” is the highest possible calling for a woman, I can at least nod at the attempt to make her whole.