In Birdy's Eyes:

Rape and sexual assault 2

-Birdymckee



The study of rape and sexual assault examines the relationship of sexually disordered persons and non-consensual sexual activity with others. Rape is an assaultive behavior of one person on another, where the assault involves sexual activity and the behavior involves one person fulfilling sexual desires by using a non-consenting person.


INTRODUCTION: Sexual assault is the threat or actual act of sexual physical endangerment of a non-consensual person or legally defined minor child, regardless of consent. Rape is forced sexual intercourse on a non-consensual person or legally defined minor child, regardless of consent. Definitions of rape and sexual assault are further delineated by states’ criminal codes. The Crime Classification Manual (1992) notes that “(d)efinitions of what constitutes rape and sexual assault vary from state to state, resulting in marked differences in the reported frequencies of offense and behavior categories in different samples reported in the literature.”



The U.S. Department of Justice reported in the Uniform Crime Report that 89,107 attempted or completed forcible rapes were reported to law-enforcement agencies in 1999. This figure represents a victim ratio of 32 persons in every 100,000. However, it is significant to note that rape and sexual assault are the most under-reported of the index crimes. Aggravated assault, robbery, and murder are commonly reported at near incidence level, but sex-related crimes are often not reported or are charged inaccurately.
Married or cohabiting people may be victims of forced sexual activity but do not report the behavior of their partner, or if they do report the behavior, it is commonly considered domestic violence and the formal legal charge is reduced to simple assault and does not represent the true, sexual nature of the assault. The question as to whether a husband can rape his wife has been debated in many courtrooms. The cross-examination of the victim is often a humiliating experience, and consequently many victims choose not to press charges against the offender. Many women choose not to report forcible intercourse if they had previously been a consensual partner with the offender. It is also common that while children who are sexually molested by a parent are removed from the home under an order of child abuse, the offending parent is not charged with rape or sexual assault.
  
Sexual Paraphilias:
The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR (rev. 4th ed., 2000) recognizes a group of disorders known as sexual paraphilias. The essential features of a paraphilia are recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors, generally involving nonhuman objects or the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one’s partner or children or other non-consenting persons, that occur over a period of at least six months. For some individuals, paraphiliac fantasies or stimuli are obligatory for erotic arousal and are always included in the sexual activity.

It is significant to note that not all sexual paraphilias result in sexual assault or rape, and it is the preference of the individuals afflicted with these disorders to identify consensual adult partners. It is also significant to note that with the exception of sexual masochism, the sexual paraphilias are male-exclusive disorders. However, some of the paraphilias are specific to non-consensual parties and children. Children, because of their age, by law cannot consent to sexual activity. There are half a dozen paraphilias that are commonly associated with non-consensual partners.

 Exhibitionism:
The DSM-IV-TR defines exhibitionism as “behaviors involving the exposure of one’s genitals to an unsuspecting stranger.” The nature of this paraphilia requires a nonconsensual relationship with a stranger; consequently, it must be considered a form of sexual assault.
 
Frotteurism
The DSM-IV-TR defines frotteurism as “touching and rubbing against a nonconsensual person.” A frotteur (usually a man) rubs his genitals against his victim, often in a crowded public place, or fondles his victim. Like exhibitionism, the nature of this paraphilia requires a nonconsensual victim, and consequently must be considered a sexual assault.
 
Voyeurism
The DSM-IV-TR defines voyeurism as “the act of observing unsuspecting individuals, usually strangers, who are naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity.” A voyeur (usually a man) is sexually excited by looking (“peeping”), sometimes masturbating to orgasm either in the process of peeping or later, while retrospectively reviewing what he has seen, but he does not seek actual sexual contact with his victims. As in the previous paraphilias, the nature of voyeurism requires a nonconsenting person, and consequently is considered a sexual assault.

 Pedophilia
The DSM-IV-TR defines pedophilia as “recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (generally age thirteen years or younger).” Pedophiliac behavior is prohibited by law. State statutes define the minimum age at which a person may consent to sexual relations. Pedophilia is by definition a violation of law and consequently is a sexual assault.
 
Sexual Sadism
The DSM-IV-TR defines sexual sadism as “recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving acts (real, not simulated) in which the psychological or physical suffering (including humiliation) of the victim is sexually exciting to the person.” Persons afflicted with this sexual paraphilia are continuously looking for a consensual partner. The practice of sexual sadism is commonly comorbid with sexual masochism. The DSM-IV-TR defines sexual masochism as “recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving the act (real, not simulated) of being humiliated, beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer.”

People with one or both of these sexual paraphilias frequent bars and social clubs where sadists and masochists congregate. They are able to establish consensual relationships and mutually satisfy their sexual urges. In the absence of a consensual partner, or when a masochistic party refuses to proceed as far as the sadist desires, the sadist will force compliance and a sexual assault takes place. Sexual assaults that occur because the masochist refuses to continue to participate are rarely reported. When there are no consensual partners available and the sadist is experiencing intense sexual arousal, he may forcibly rape a non-consensual and stranger party.

RAPE:

The concept of rape has a historical and common definition of a man forcing a non-consenting woman to engage in sexual intercourse. The definition is no longer contemporary. Men and women engage in sexual intercourse with children under the legal age of consent and consequently meet the statutory definition of rape. Men and women also engage in same-sex relationships that may result in behaviors that may be, in fact, forcible sexual assault or may be rape as defined by statute. Some hate-motivated crimes involve rape and sodomy. Consequently, the entire legal and philosophical concept of rape must be viewed from an expanded, inclusive definition.

The Crime Classification Manual includes a taxonomy of rape and sexual assault that outlines numerous categories: criminal-enterprise rape, felony rape, personal cause sexual assault, nuisance offenses, domestic sexual assault, entitlement rape, social acquaintance rape, subordinate rape, power-reassurance rape, exploitative rape, anger rape, sadistic rape, child/adolescent pornography, historical child/adolescent sex rings, multidimensional sex rings, abduction rape, formal gang sexual assault, and informal gang sexual assault. The manual also classifies rapists based on motivations.

The taxonomic studies that describe the styles of convicted rapists focus on the interaction of sexual and aggressive motivations. Although all rape clearly includes both motivations, for some rapists the need to humiliate and injure through aggression is the most salient feature of the offense, whereas for others the need to achieve sexual dominance is the most salient feature of the offense. John Douglas and Robert Ressler, both retired Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents who were the initial founders of the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences Unit, identified four primary subcategories of rapists.

  Power-Reassurance Rapist
Referred to as a compensatory rapist, this individual is commonly afflicted with one or more of the sexual paraphilias, and these paraphilias are clearly demonstrated in the method in which the rape is preformed. These rapists are preoccupied with their particular sexual fantasies and commonly have a vision of their “perfect” victim. They are highly sexually aroused as they attempt to locate their “perfect” victim and may demonstrate voyeurism, exhibitionism, masturbation practices, and pedophilia. They are delusional, believing that their victim truly loves them in return. These individuals commonly cannot achieve and maintain normal, age-appropriate heterosexual or homosexual relationships and compensate for their personal perception of inadequacy by stalking and assaulting a younger or older, and weaker, victim.
 
Exploitative Rapist
The exploitative rapist, also referred to as an impulsive rapist, commits the crime of rape as an afterthought while committing another crime. These rapes generally occur when a victim is found at the site of a burglary or armed robbery. There is no premeditation in this rape, and the motivation is purely coincidental to the original intended criminal activity. It is not uncommon for persons to take hostages during an armed robbery or carjacking and then impulsively rape the hostage.

 Anger Rapist
The anger rapist, also referred to a displaced aggressive rapist, commits sexual assault because he is angry. He is commonly not angry at his victims, because they are usually strangers. Rather, the displaced aggressive rapist is angry at someone or something else, perhaps his boss, his wife, or just a set of circumstances. Unable to take out his anger at the source, he displaces his anger on his victim. The rape is characterized by very violent behavior, and the victim is commonly severely injured and may be killed.

 Sadistic Rapist
The sadistic rapist, also referred to as a sexually aggressive rapist, possesses the sexual sadism paraphilia and cannot achieve sexual arousal or satisfaction unless he is inflicting pain on his victim. The rapist believes that his victim likes his or her sex rough and consequently will demonstrate a variety of torturous behaviors during the rape. While the rape is violent, it does differ from the rape by the displaced aggression rapist. The sexually aggressive rapist will demonstrate behaviors that have sexual overtones, while the displaced aggressive rapist will demonstrate unrestrained violence, more violence than is necessary to subdue his victim.
 
Other Rapist Classifications
Other classifications of rapists include gang rapists motivated by retaliation, intimidation, or adolescent-like impulsivity. Persons who use drugs to incapacitate their victims are generally compensating for their inability to achieve normal sexual relations and are commonly personality disordered.

Sources for Further Study

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR. Rev. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: Author, 2000. The DSM-IV-TR is the most comprehensive and contemporary description of mental health, personality, and sexual disorders.

Bartol, Curt. Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education, 2008. The author summarizes the theories and practical aspects of sexual assault and rape.

Dobbert, Duane, ed. Forensic Psychology. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw Hill Primus, 1996. The editor compiles significant contributions from distinguished authors on a variety of topics pertaining to forensic psychology.

Douglas, John E., Ann W. Burgess, Allen G. Burgess, and Robert K. Ressler. Crime Classification Manual. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992. The most comprehensive taxonomy of criminal behavior.

Goode, Erich. Deviant Behavior. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2008. The author provides an excellent description of a variety of deviant behavior.