Rape by gender
Encyclopedia
This article classifies types of rape
by the sex of both the rapist and the victim. The scope of the article includes both rape
and sexual violence
more generally.
Since only a small percentage of acts of sexual violence are brought to the attention of the authorities, it is impossible to compile accurate statistics. There are nevertheless statistical estimates published by some official bodies. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (1999) estimated that 91% of United States
rape victims were female
and 9% were male, with 99% of the offenders being male and 1% of the offenders being female. Several studies argue that male-male and female-female prison rape
are quite common and may be the least reported form of rape.
, in England and Wales, around 1 in 20 women (4.9%) said that they had been raped at some point in their life from the age of 16 beyond.
A woman's physiological response to sexual contact is involuntary. In some cases, women can become physically aroused, produce natural lubrication, and even experience orgasms against their will during rape.
Pregnancy may result from rape. The rate varies between settings and depends particularly on the extent to which non-barrier contraceptives are being used. A study of adolescents in Ethiopia
found that among those who reported being raped, 17% became pregnant after the rape, a figure which is similar to the 15–18% reported by rape crisis centres in Mexico
. A longitudinal study in the United States
of over 4000 women followed for 3 years found that the national rape related pregnancy rate was 5.0% per rape among victims aged 12–45 years, producing over 32,000 pregnancies nationally among women from rape each year. Experience of coerced sex at an early age reduces a woman’s ability to see her sexuality as something over which she has control.
, as well as female-female prisoner rape, might be the most common and least-reported forms of rape, with some studies suggesting such rapes are substantially more common in both per-capita and raw-number totals than male-female rapes in the general population.
Research from the UK suggests that almost 3% of men reported a non-consensual sexual experience as adults and over 5% of men reported sexual abuse as a child. This does not take into account the possibility of exaggeration or false reports nor of underreporting. Recognition of male on male rape in law has historically been limited; the first successful prosecution for attempted male on male rape in the UK was not until 1995.
Male on male rape has historically been shrouded in secrecy due to the stigma men associate with being raped by other men. According to psychologist Dr Sarah Crome fewer than one in ten male-male rapes are reported. As a group, male rape victims reported a lack of services and support, and legal systems are often ill equipped to deal with this type of crime.
The rape of men by men has been documented as a weapon of terror in warfare.
, but this statistic does not mention how many, if any, of these cases of abuse were rape.
or Debra Lafave
)
In the case of statutory rape, the victim can be legally bound to pay child support
to his rapist in the US.
is involuntary, meaning that a man need not consent mentally or physically for his penis to become erect and be placed in a woman's vagina. Penetration of a man by a woman is possible through use of a strap-on
or other object. Rape of a man by a woman could also occur when limited sexual activities are agreed upon and a man's penis is placed in a woman in violation of the limits that had been set. Rape of a man by a woman is thus possible in several ways.
However, male victims of sexual abuse by females often face social, political, and legal double standard
s. While gender-neutral laws have combated the older perception that rape never occurs to men, and other laws have eliminated the term altogether, the double standards still remain. Due to these reasons, it is likely being substantially under-reported, with the probable cause being the double standard, or possibly shame.
A highly publicized case of male rape occurred in Zimbabwe
in 2011, where a group of women allegedly injected male hitch-hikers with drugs to give them 'strong sexual desire', then collected the semen in condoms to later use in rituals; however the women were charged with aggravated indecent assault as Zimbabwean law does not recognise the act of a woman raping a man.
. Forced penetration by another woman is possible with the use of strap-ons
, dildos, other foreign objects and digital penetration
.
A few books, such as Violent Betrayal: Partner Abuse in Lesbian Relationships by Dr. Claire M. Renzetti, No More Secrets: Violence in Lesbian Relationships by Janice Ristock, and Woman-to-Woman Sexual Violence: Does She Call It Rape? by Lori B. Girshick also cover the topic of rape of women by other women.
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
by the sex of both the rapist and the victim. The scope of the article includes both rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and sexual violence
Sexual violence
Sexual violence occurs throughout the world, although in most countries there has been little research conducted on the problem. Due to the private nature of sexual violence, estimating the extent of the problem is difficult...
more generally.
Since only a small percentage of acts of sexual violence are brought to the attention of the authorities, it is impossible to compile accurate statistics. There are nevertheless statistical estimates published by some official bodies. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (1999) estimated that 91% of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rape victims were female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
and 9% were male, with 99% of the offenders being male and 1% of the offenders being female. Several studies argue that male-male and female-female prison rape
Prison rape
Prison rape commonly refers to the rape of inmates in prison by other inmates or prison staff.In 2001, Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 140,000 inmates had been raped while incarcerated. and there is a significant variation in the rates of prison rape by race...
are quite common and may be the least reported form of rape.
Rape of females by males
In a 2000 research article from the Home OfficeHome Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, in England and Wales, around 1 in 20 women (4.9%) said that they had been raped at some point in their life from the age of 16 beyond.
A woman's physiological response to sexual contact is involuntary. In some cases, women can become physically aroused, produce natural lubrication, and even experience orgasms against their will during rape.
Pregnancy may result from rape. The rate varies between settings and depends particularly on the extent to which non-barrier contraceptives are being used. A study of adolescents in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
found that among those who reported being raped, 17% became pregnant after the rape, a figure which is similar to the 15–18% reported by rape crisis centres in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. A longitudinal study in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of over 4000 women followed for 3 years found that the national rape related pregnancy rate was 5.0% per rape among victims aged 12–45 years, producing over 32,000 pregnancies nationally among women from rape each year. Experience of coerced sex at an early age reduces a woman’s ability to see her sexuality as something over which she has control.
Rape of males by males
Several studies argue that male-male prisoner rapePrison rape
Prison rape commonly refers to the rape of inmates in prison by other inmates or prison staff.In 2001, Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 140,000 inmates had been raped while incarcerated. and there is a significant variation in the rates of prison rape by race...
, as well as female-female prisoner rape, might be the most common and least-reported forms of rape, with some studies suggesting such rapes are substantially more common in both per-capita and raw-number totals than male-female rapes in the general population.
Research from the UK suggests that almost 3% of men reported a non-consensual sexual experience as adults and over 5% of men reported sexual abuse as a child. This does not take into account the possibility of exaggeration or false reports nor of underreporting. Recognition of male on male rape in law has historically been limited; the first successful prosecution for attempted male on male rape in the UK was not until 1995.
Male on male rape has historically been shrouded in secrecy due to the stigma men associate with being raped by other men. According to psychologist Dr Sarah Crome fewer than one in ten male-male rapes are reported. As a group, male rape victims reported a lack of services and support, and legal systems are often ill equipped to deal with this type of crime.
The rape of men by men has been documented as a weapon of terror in warfare.
Rape of males by females
Contrary to popular opinion, women also can commit an act of rape with force or deception to make a man engage in a non-consensual penetrative sexual act. However, due to social double standards, reports are rarely taken seriously, if made at all. According to "Court TV"'s "Crime Library", women commit about 2% of all sexual offenses and their abuse often involves their own child or childrenIncest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, but this statistic does not mention how many, if any, of these cases of abuse were rape.
Statutory female-on-male rape
Several widely publicized cases of female-on-male statutory rape in the United States involved school teachers raping their underage students. (See e.g. Mary Kay LetourneauMary Kay Letourneau
Mary Kay Fualaau , formerly known as Mary Kay Letourneau, is an American schoolteacher who was imprisoned from 1997 to 2004 for having sexual intercourse with her 13-year-old student, Vili Fualaau. She gave birth to two of Fualaau's children while incarcerated...
or Debra Lafave
Debra Lafave
Debra Jean Beasley, better known under her former married name of Debra Lafave, is a former teacher at Angelo L. Greco Middle School in Temple Terrace, Florida. She pleaded guilty in 2005 to...
)
In the case of statutory rape, the victim can be legally bound to pay child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
to his rapist in the US.
Non-statutory female-on-male rape
Much like female erectile response and contrary to popular opinion, male erectile responseErection
Penile erection is a physiological phenomenon where the penis becomes enlarged and firm. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine factors, and is usually, though not exclusively, associated with sexual arousal...
is involuntary, meaning that a man need not consent mentally or physically for his penis to become erect and be placed in a woman's vagina. Penetration of a man by a woman is possible through use of a strap-on
Strap-on
Strap-on can be used to describe more than one thing:* Strap-on booster, a rocket motor which is used and then discarded* Strap-on dildo, a sex toy...
or other object. Rape of a man by a woman could also occur when limited sexual activities are agreed upon and a man's penis is placed in a woman in violation of the limits that had been set. Rape of a man by a woman is thus possible in several ways.
However, male victims of sexual abuse by females often face social, political, and legal double standard
Double standard
A double standard is the unjust application of different sets of principles for similar situations. The concept implies that a single set of principles encompassing all situations is the desirable ideal. The term has been used in print since at least 1895...
s. While gender-neutral laws have combated the older perception that rape never occurs to men, and other laws have eliminated the term altogether, the double standards still remain. Due to these reasons, it is likely being substantially under-reported, with the probable cause being the double standard, or possibly shame.
A highly publicized case of male rape occurred in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
in 2011, where a group of women allegedly injected male hitch-hikers with drugs to give them 'strong sexual desire', then collected the semen in condoms to later use in rituals; however the women were charged with aggravated indecent assault as Zimbabwean law does not recognise the act of a woman raping a man.
Rape of females by females
Female-on-female rape is often labeled "lesbian rape", though the sexual orientation of one or both (or more) persons involved may or may not actually be lesbianLesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
. Forced penetration by another woman is possible with the use of strap-ons
Strap-on dildo
A strap-on dildo is a dildo designed to be worn, usually with a harness, during sexual activity. Harnesses and dildos are made in a wide variety of styles, with variations in how the harness fits the wearer, how the dildo attaches to the harness, as well as various features intended to facilitate...
, dildos, other foreign objects and digital penetration
Fingering (sexual act)
Fingering is the manual manipulation of the clitoris, vulva, vagina, or anus for the purpose of sexual arousal and stimulation. It may constitute the entire sexual encounter or it may be part of mutual masturbation, foreplay or other sexual activities. To "finger oneself" is to masturbate in this...
.
A few books, such as Violent Betrayal: Partner Abuse in Lesbian Relationships by Dr. Claire M. Renzetti, No More Secrets: Violence in Lesbian Relationships by Janice Ristock, and Woman-to-Woman Sexual Violence: Does She Call It Rape? by Lori B. Girshick also cover the topic of rape of women by other women.