Rape

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

Types of rape

Violent rape

"Violent rape" is when violence beyond the rape itself is a part of the assault. This may include physical force or threat of harm, including death threat or threat against a family member. People who commit violent rapes include both strangers and people whom the victim already knows. Proportionally more violent rapes are likely to be reported. (Bachman and Saltzman, 1995).

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Statutory rape

Main article at: Statutory rape

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National and/or regional governments, citing an interest in protecting minors, consider people under a certain age to be unable to give informed consent, and accordingly treat any sexual contact with minors as "rape", even if he or she agrees to the sexual activity. The age at which individuals are considered competent to give consent is called the age of consent. The age set by each state vary in accordance with local standards, and range from 12 to 21. Sex which violates age-of-consent law, but is neither violent nor physically coerced, is sometimes described as "statutory rape", the name of a legally-recognized category in the United States.

Related Topics:
Governments - Minor - Age of consent - Statutory rape

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Acquaintance ("date") rape

The term, "acquaintance rape" (or "date rape") refers to rape or non-consensual sexual activity between people who are already acquainted, or who know each other socially — friends, acquaintances, people on a date, or even people in an existing romantic relationship — where it is alleged that consent for sexual activity was not given, or was given under duress. In most jurisdictions, there is no legal distinction between rape committed by a stranger, or by an acquaintance, friend or lover.

Related Topics:
Romantic relationship - Duress

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There is often more difficulty in securing conviction against an assailant who is known by the victim at the time. This is due to the "grey" nature of the situation. In what is colloquially described as a "grey rape" case, the victim is unable to demonstrate non-consent although he or she expresses displeasure at the encounter. The expression, "grey rape", refers to the absence of information — there is nothing "grey" in the act itself: if the act was non-consensual at the time it occurred, then it is considered rape, even if not actionably so. Contributing factors to "grey" rape include poor communication by either party, misleading or (deliberately) misreading body language, or the feeling by one party of being unsure or unable to express what one wishes (which may be due to many reasons). The standard of proof required for non-consensual sexual activity is often harder to meet (or easier to deny) than when two strangers meet, or where there has been violence.

Related Topics:
Colloquial - Standard of proof

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In general, some evidence suggests that rapists are far more likely to know their victims than not http://www.aaets.org/arts/art13.htm. Other reports suggest that it can work both ways. Not only is acquaintance rape more common than previously thought, but situations of this kind can more often give rise to false allegations than had been expected (see False reporting).

Related Topics:
Rapist - Allegation - False reporting

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Male rape

Males can also be raped (more commonly by other males, but also by females). Males are commonly victims of anal rape. There are also cases of men being forced to penetrate others, in spite of the common belief that this is not possible. Men are just as traumatized by rape as female victims. In many countries, male rape is legally classified under a different law or name. However, the nature of the incident, and its consequences, are similar. It is said that male rape is taken less seriously as a result of the stereotypical views held about males in many societies, including modern Western society.

Related Topics:
Traumatized - Stereotypical

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Male victims, like female victims, do not "want sex", nor does the physiological effect of erection or orgasm mean that sex was "really wanted". A capable assailant can force these physical responses in the majority of males, given appropriate planning for their assault. Also, male on male rape does not imply homosexuality of either party. Mens' rights lobbyists are pushing for tougher male rape laws, and have gained some success. Fellating a man without his permission, is now grounds for a charge of second degree rape in the United States.

Related Topics:
Physiological - Erection - Orgasm - Homosexuality - Lobbyist - Fellating

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• Resource: SE Center against Sexual Assault - male rape myths, reality, and support

Gang rape

Gang-rape (also known as "pack rape" or "gang bang") occurs when a group of people participates in the rape of a single victim. It is far more damaging for the victim, and in some jurisdictions, is punished more severely than a rape by one person. "Gang bang" is also a slang term for consensual group sex.

Related Topics:
Gang bang - Slang term - Group sex

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According to Roy Hazelwood, a profiler of sexual crimes, gang rape "involves three or more offenders and you always have a leader and a reluctant participant. Those are extremely violent, and what you find is that they're playing for each other's approval. It gets into a pack mentality and can be horrendous."

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