I feel that many readers forget that Mat is not honest with himself in his thoughts.That is why they get the feeling of rape.
On several occasions, he admits that he is only on the reverse side of the "hunt" he has done himself in the past. If Mat was raped, then he would admit that he had forced women to sex before.
She pulled a knife on him. Reverse that situation in your head. He pulled a knife on her. Reverse everything you're saying in your head. "Oh she's just not honest with herself. She likes it." That is quite literally something an abuser would say.
I think the problem was he kept on going deeper and deeper and it strayed from being the comedic, oh the tables have turned on Mat, to getting real dark. Robert Jordan has several questionable romances within the series so yeah I just think he had no idea what he was doing.
The Tylin Thing (CoS Spoilers)
in Wheel of Time Books
·
Edited by Typical
clarifying explanation.
She pulled a knife on him. Reverse that situation in your head. He pulled a knife on her. Reverse everything you're saying in your head. "Oh she's just not honest with herself. She likes it." That is quite literally something an abuser would say.
I think the problem was he kept on going deeper and deeper and it strayed from being the comedic, oh the tables have turned on Mat, to getting real dark. Robert Jordan has several questionable romances within the series so yeah I just think he had no idea what he was doing.