A look inside the Mind of a Rapist

Every day the news headlines unleash a new horror. After the recent incident in New Delhi where the girl was brutally gang raped resulting in death, every girl is afraid to move around in public. Many of us would want to know the psychology of a rapist and what is it that could make an ordinary individual turn out to be such a violent person committing such an atrocious crime? So what are the psychological forces that drive sexual violence?

Researchers caution that there is no single psychological formula that explains every rapist. Gordon Nagayama, Associate Professor at Kent State states that there is no single model to explain all types of rape or rapists. Another psychologist, Hall, in his own work delineates four major types of rapists.

-Type 1 is influenced by abnormal sexual arousal, which occurs when he has thoughts of violence against women. This type is likely to be extremely impulsive.

-Type 2 is motivated by distortions in one's thinking. He may mistakenly interpret events or information differently than other men would. He believes that some women enjoy being raped, or want to be raped. For this type, rape is part of a conquest, a way of demonstrating masculinity. Most date rapists are Type 2s.

-Type 3, is motivated by anger or emotional discontrol. These men are so angry, especially at women,that the only way for them to deal with their anger is to act out sexually toward women. Not surprisingly, this type is the most violent and most dangerous.

-Type 4 is the repeat offender. He is most likely to have been physically or sexually abused as a child. He has difficulty establishing enduring relationships, and a history of chronic problems in schools or in his family. Type 4 men break a variety of rules, both sexual and nonsexual.

Hall doesn't regard his research-based typology as definitive in identifying a rapist and in treating rapists, particularly repeat offenders. This information is just to give you a little insight into the possible causes for a rape not justifying a rapist's actions, but like mentioned above, it cannot be confined to just one reason but there may be multiple reasons as well.

We're all aware that sexual aggression can take place between people who are acquaintances, friends and married couples too. Rapists need not just be old men who are strangers to us. Often, they can be people who are a part of our lives too. It is important for men and women to have clear communications and understand what is okay and not okay with each other.

Here are some tips that you can follow to make your world a little safer from those predators:

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Do not be distracted, especially by technology like listening to your iPod when you're alone or unpopulated places, especially at night.
• Learn to trust your gut instincts.
• Carry defensive items like pepper spray, only if you know how to use them.
• Think and practice being careful at clubs or other places with loud music.
• Work on being assertive, if someone is giving you unwanted attention, tell them to back off.

"Regardless of age or gender it's crucial to empower yourself to say ‘no' and learn to trust your instincts to leave when uncomfortable in a situation. After all, it's always better to be safe than be sorry"

Source:

www.psychologytoday.com
www.nytimes.com