NCJ Number
89026
Journal
Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: (1983) Pages: 56-62
Date Published
1983
Length
7 pages
Annotation
While the reviewed typologies of rapists are helpful in indicating their needs for power, compensation, identity, and defense, they do not adequately consider psychopathology and the sexuality component in rape.
Abstract
The diagnostic classifications of rapists reviewed include the systems of Groth, Cohen, Rada, McCaldon, Guttmacher and Weihofen, Amir, Gene Abel and associates, and Woodling, Bevins, and Brandbury. The major typologies have four common themes: (1) anger or displaced aggression, (2) power or compensation for a weak masculine identity, (3) uncontrollable hostility and sadism, and (4) the impulsive and antisocial features of some rapists. While these typologies are an adequate and accurate description of the rapist's motivation and goals, they lack any adequate discussion of psychopathology or psychiatric symptomatology in the rapist. This is suprising considering the available data on psychiatric features of rapists; e.g., Vera, Bernard, Holtzer, and Vera (1980) found that 31 percent of defendants charged with sexually violent acts had previously been psychiatrically hospitalized, and 29 percent had attempted suicide. Further, although some literature has suggested that rape is not sexual or primarily sexual in nature, social psychology research indicates that rapists are stimulated by violent sexual experiences and depictions. Clinical researchers have been too narrow in failing to incorporate sexuality components into their diagnostic classifications. Four footnotes and 34 references are provided.