Feminist theory and gender role theory

Male Rape

Male victims of rape are often times not included in official government statistics and this can be a likely cause to underreporting of criminal activities. The problem with this scenario is that males are viewed by society as being masculine, with strength in both character and in physicality. This typical stereotyping can be an underlying factor in the reasons why men are more reluctant to report a rape. Men are oftentimes viewed as the perpetrators of rape (and other crimes) rather than the victims.

One reason why it is important to discover the reasons why men are reluctant to report such crimes is because it can be very debilitating to a man's state of mind to be a rape victim. Just as women are psychologically affected by the act of rape, men can be also, and in fact, it might even be more psychologically damaging to a man than to a women, if only because of the stereotyping by society that keeps them from reporting the event in the first place.

The problem might also be a lot more widespread than most believe that it is, and that it has been prevalent in society for a lot longer as well. As early as 1994 a study showed that "a considerable number of men in the community (as opposed to institutions, such as prisons) do become victims of sexual assault by other men" (Hickson, Hunt, Weatherburn, McManus, Coxon, 1994, pg. 282). If this is true, then the men who are incarcerated for criminal activities are less likely to suffer a sexual assault than the ones who do not commit such crimes. This can be very detrimental to society overall and it is also very detrimental to the individuals involved in such attacks.

2005 study concludes "sexual assaults seriously psychologically affect many male victims" (Walker, Archer, Davies, 2005, pg. 75). Walker's study shows that the circumstances surrounding the reporting of such crimes against male victims oftentimes deters the men from even reporting them. The study determined that "although very few men report such assaults to the police and medical services, those who do often experience hostility, disbelief, and blame (Walker et al., 2005). The participants in Walker's study also stated that they were blamed for the attacks by the friends and family members that they revealed the events to. According to Walker et al. this blame game is a form of secondary victimization.

Men who have been victimized surely do not wish to be victimized again, and therefore oftentimes keeps quiet about the event. While women are encouraged by society to avenge themselves in regards to the perpetrators men are not only discouraged from doing so, but are ridiculed for saying anything at all.

Sheryl Anderson, author of "Women, Ideology, and Violence" states that the reason behind such a difference in societal attitudes towards rape of a man and rape of a women is due to the constructs of society overall. In her book, she writes "traits assigned to males and females that are socially constructed...are defined in opposition to one another" (p. 21). She also believes that there is a basic 'polarization between the value of aggressiveness in males and the value of passivity in females. This can be especially true regarding minorities and society's less fortunate and how they are treated in the judicial system.

"The idea is that when the defendant is poor, black or an immigrant, prosecutorial discretion is limited, if not missing" (Witcher, 2007, pg. 58). The problem, however, is more widespread than what society would like to think it is. A 2007 found that "9% of college men admit behaviors that meet the legal definition of rape or attempted rape" (Foubert, Cremedy, 2007, pg. 138). The same study showed that "between 3 and 4% of college men also report surviving a rape or attempted rape experience on anonymous surveys" (Foubert, Cremedy, pg. 138). It would seem that according to the above studies, those individuals most at risk are the ones who are minorities, lower income, or young college students. Another area of society that might be at risk are military members, prisoners, and of course, members of the gay society who are a low percentage of the overall picture but are probably most likely to be affected especially in regards to sexual diseases etc.

One recent study found, "enduring and pervasive patterns of male sexual behaviour involving coercion, violence and gang rape are highly conducive to the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections" (Lepani, 2008, pg. 151). The threat of an HIV infection by the perpetrator to the victim is like an additional rape on the victim's psyche, and also poses additional problems for society. With each occurrence of this type, comes at not only a cost to the individual(s) involved, but a cost to society as well. The degeneration that comes with these actions affects all members of society as citizens become more and more inured to the situation.

It is important, therefore, to address the situation from more than just a female's perspective, but from a male's point-of-view as well. In fact, it could possibly be even more important than ever, due to the fact that most men refuse to report the crime even if it involves them personally.