Rape

:For other uses of the word rape (for example, the plant called rapeseed), see Rape (disambiguation).

Rapists

Rapist profiles

Dr. A. Nicholas Groth, author of Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender, described four types of deliberate rapists, based on their motivations and behavior patterns. Forensic scientists, criminologists, and law enforcement agencies often use these profiles to analyze rapists, and prevent future rapes.

Related Topics:
Forensic scientist - Criminologists - Law enforcement

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Since rapes are predominantly perpetrated by men, a male perpetrator is assumed in these profiles:

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• The power-assertive rapist: This is argued to be the most common type of rapist, accounting for about 40 percent of all reported rapes. An alpha male, he tends to value machismo and physical aggression, and often rapes victims that he meets in places like bars, where he may pose as, or be an authority figure. Power-assertive rapists rarely target specific people for rape and, while not intending to kill their victims, often traumatize and humiliate them.
• The power-reassurance rapist: Responsible for about 27.5% of reported rapes, this type of rapist has been described by law enforcers as the "gentleman rapist". He is usually:
• of average intelligence;
• not physically aggressive;
• insecure about his masculinity;
• socially-deficient; and
• unable to develop interpersonal or romantic relationships.

Usually, he will select and stalk a victim before committing the crime. The victim is usually someone whom he knows, eg. a neighbor or work acquaintance. Power-reassurance rapists often force the victim to emulate foreplay, and take "trophies" of the rape; they may even record the event in a personal journal. Power-reassurance rapists tend to be the least violent type of rapists, often fantasizing about consensual sexual relationships with women, rather than violent conquests.

Related Topics:
Stalk - Foreplay - Journal - Fantasizing

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• Anger-retaliatory rapist: Responsible for about 28% of rapes, this type of rapist is often a substance abuser, with impulsive behavior and anger-related pathologies. He does not target specific victims, and often feels animosity toward women in general. The anger-retaliatory rapist's attacks are usually spontaneous and brutal, and while he does not intend to kill the victim, he may beat her to death if she resists. This rapist usually has below-average intelligence, and is likely to leave more evidence than other types of rapists.
• The anger-excitation rapist: This type of rapist, considered the most dangerous and elusive, accounts for about 4.5 percent of rapes. He exhibits antisocial personality disorder, and being often perceived as charming and intelligent, makes him rather difficult to catch. The anger-excitation rapist may or may not choose his victims selectively. Often sadistic, he will often murder his victim to prevent her from identifying him, or for his own self-gratification. Ted Bundy was an example of this type of rapist.

Warning signs

It is very difficult to predict who may or may not be a potential rapist because rapists have many personality types, and use many different methods. However, certain behavioral characteristics have been observed in some rapists. These should be used cautiously as "warning signs", since non-rapists and other innocent people may also exhibit similar behaviours:

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• Extreme emotional insensitivity and egotism;
• Habitual degradation and verbal devaluation of others;
• Tries to tell others what they are feeling and thinking, as though it is his decision and not theirs. "She said no, but she meant yes";
• Consistently using intimidation in language, or threatening behavior to get his way. Uses words like "bitch" and "whore" to describe women;
• Excessive, chronic, or brooding anger;
• Becoming obsessed with the object of his romantic affections, long after his advances have been rejected;
• Extreme mood swings;
• Violent outbursts; lack of impulse control;
• Aggressive and violent;
• Cruel behavior, especially under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

It is often incorrectly assumed that rape fantasies are warning signs of a potential rapist; however, scientific research does not support this assumption. While rapists were almost invariably found to have rape fantasies, they were a very small minority compared to a far larger number of psychologically healthy and normal men who had rape fantasies but did not commit rape.

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