Re: Some prison statistics

Timothy Bates (tbates@karri.bhs.mq.edu.au)
Wed, 16 Jun 1999 15:19:49 +1000

Chuck Kuecker said

> Prisoners who rape are doing it for much more than sexual release - it's a
> power trip.

Apparently this "rape = power not sex" meme, though powerfully transmitted, has very little empirical support (read "seems wrong every time it is tested"). People use to power (rape) to have sex, not vice-versa.

While theoretically and perhaps even introspectively the power meme may appear valid, an abundance of sexually available people appears to reduce the frequency of rape. Ergo, the (admittedly monstrous and amoral) rapist chooses sex and is happy to get it without the bother of having to rape someone. This result seems incompatible with the "rape is not about sex" hypothesis.

It remains an open question. The recent British book on selected soldier's diary reports of killing (during war) as being both sexually exciting and rewarding has gotten lots of discussion going regarding the connection between violence and sex, also.

tim