Discusses that the answer to the question of why men rape is far more complex than once thought. Feminist viewpoint; Behavioralist theory; Types of rapists; Date rapists; Potential rapists; Sexual aggression; Comments from Gordon Nagayama Hall, associate professor of psychology at Kent State who recently coordinated a national forum on rape.
The Aroused, The Conqueror, The Angry, The
Abused
ASK A FEMINIST WHY men rape and she'll tell you
that they are angry and take it out on women. Ask a behavioral
researchers why men rape and he says they just get turned on by the
wrong stimuli. The answer to the question, however, now looks far
more complex.
"For a long time, these two approaches
dominated the thinking on why men rape, which is understandable; it
would be great to be able to pin sexual aggression on a single
cause:' says Gordon Nagayama Hall, Ph.D., associate professor of
psychology at Kent State, who recently coordinated a national forum
on rape. "But neither of these models explains all types of rape
or rapists. As our research has become more sophisticated, other
explanations have evolved ."
Disturbing ones at that. Hall and his
colleagues have concluded, for example, that more people should be
considered potential rapists than previously thought. "Among
recent studies, there are varying percentages of men who could be
considered potential rapists; one researcher has illustrated that as
many as 25 percent of all male college students have engaged in some
level of sexually coercive or aggressive behavior."
Hall's own work delineates four major types of
rapist.
- Type 1 is influenced by deviant sexual arousal, which occurs when he has thoughts of violence against women. This type is likely to be extremely impulsive.
- Type 2 is motivated by cognitive distortions, or thinking errors; he mistakenly interprets events or information differently than other men would. He believes that some women enjoy being raped, or want to be raped. For this type, rape is part of a conquest, a way of demonstrating masculinity. Most date rapists are Type 2s.
- Type 3, says Hall, is motivated by anger or emotional discontrol. These men are so angry, especially at women, that the only way for them to deal with their anger is to act out sexually toward women. Not surprisingly, this type is the most violent and most dangerous.
-
Type 4 is the repeat offender. He is most
likely to have been physically or sexually abused as a child. He has
difficulty establishing enduring relationships, and a history of
chronic problems in schools or in his family. Type 4 men break a
variety of rules, both sexual and nonsexual.
Hall doesn't regard his research-based typology
as definitive in identifying who will rape and in treating rapists,
particularly repeat offenders. "Rape is much more complex than
we've thought. In fact, we don't even have a very good definition of
the crime itself. The strict approach is that rape is simply forced
intercourse. But rapists engage in other sexually aggressive acts
like harassing and fondling that don't incorporate intercourse,"
Hall explains. He believes that by viewing rape and rapists as
multi-determined, "we will not only be able to design more
effective treatments, but may be able to help prevent sexual
aggression from occurring so frequently."
The bottom line: "We know that sexual
aggression can take place between people who are acquaintances,
friends, married couples. Men and women need to be very, very clear
in their communication with one another exactly what is and isn't
okay," Hall says. "Many rapists aren't just dirty old men
who offend against strangers; they are often people with whom we
share parts of our lives."
