When I was in training we were taught that rape had nothing to do with sex - and everything to do with violence. I found that to be a very profound statement, but not all inclusive. I've always believed that some rapes were motivated by some sort of perverse sexual need. Of course these are no more justified than any type of rape, all of it is immoral and illegal.
What I found most disturbing in the article were the statisics:
A recent study of 1,600 juvenile sexual assault offenders found:
- Just 33 percent of these boys perceived sex as a way to demonstrate love or caring;
- 23.5 percent believed that sex was a way to establish power and control;
- 9.4 percent found sex to be a good way to dissipate anger;
- 8.4 percent believed sex to be a way to punish others.
In a study of college men, 35 percent admitted they would violently rape a woman who had rejected a prior advance if they were assured of getting away with it. Many men and women believe a woman deserved rape if she was intoxicated, led the man on, or invited him into her bedroom. In a 2003 study, men who were highly competitive and win-oriented reported more sexual aggression and held beliefs that supported rape.
