NCJ Number
47007
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THE INCIDENCE OF MALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION (IMPOTENCY, RETARDED EJACULATION, AND PREMATURE EJACULATION) WAS STUDIED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH 170 CONVICTED RAPISTS AND 92 ADULT FEMALE VICTIMS OF RAPE.
Abstract
THE DATA WERE COLLECTED IN SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING HYPOTHESES: (1) RAPE IS THE SEXUAL EXPRESSION OF POWER AND ANGER; (2) RAPE IS MOTIVATED MORE BY RETALIATORY AND COMPENSATORY MOTIVES THAN SEXUAL NEEDS; AND (3) SUBJECTIVE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS IN THE FORM OF ANXIETY, RAGE, DEPRESSION, AND THE LIKE IS MORE CLOSELY CORRELATED WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE OF RAPE THAN SEXUAL GRATIFICATION. THE OFFENDER AND VICTIM DATA WERE COLLECTED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE SAMPLE GROUPS WERE UNRELATED. TWENTY-SEVEN (16 PERCENT) OF THE RAPISTS REPORTED EXPERIENCING SOME FORM OF IMPOTENCY DURING THE ASSAULT, WHILE TWENTY-SIX (15 PERCENT) REPORTED EXPERIENCING SOME DIFFICULTY IN OR A FAILURE TO REACH EJACULATION; IN FIVE CASES (3 PERCENT) THERE WAS SOME INDICATION OF PREMATURE EJACULATION. IN ALL, 58 OR APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THE RAPISTS EXHIBITED SOME FORM OF SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION DURING THEIR ASSAULTS. HOWEVER, THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE SINCE NO DATA WERE AVAILABLE ON 35 (21 PERCENT) OF THE SUBJECTS AND THE OFFENSE WAS INTERRUPTED OR RESISTED IN THE REMAINING 34 (20 PERCENT). THE VICTIM DATA WERE STUDIED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE FACT OF CONVICTION MIGHT BIAS OFFENDER DATA. ALTHOUGH 69 (75 PERCENT) OF THE VICTIMS PRESENTED CLEAR EVIDENCE OF GENERAL BODY TRAUMA AND/OR GYNECOLOGICAL TRAUMA, CLINICAL EVIDENCE OF SPERM WAS PRESENT IN ONLY 32 (35 PERCENT) OF THE WOMEN. NO DATA WERE AVAILABLE ON 23 (25 PERCENT) OF THE VICTIMS DUE TO SUCH FACTORS AS PROFUSE BLEEDING, DOUCHING AFTER THE ASSAULT, THE ABSENCE OF LABORATORY EXAMINATION, OR LATE REPORTING. EVEN WHERE THE WOMAN WAS A VICTIM OF GANG RAPE, EVIDENCE OF SPERM WAS PRESENT IN ONLY 50 PERCENT OF THE CASES. OVER ALL, CLINICAL EVIDENCE OF SPERM IS ABSENT IN 37 (40 PERCENT) OF THE CASES, A FINDING CONSISTENT WITH THE OFFENDER DATA. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT LAWS REQUIRING THE PRESENCE OF SPERM TO CONFIRM AN ACT OF RAPE FAIL TO RECOGNIZE SUCH AN ASSAULT AS A PSEUDOSEXUAL ACT MOTIVATED MORE BY FEELINGS OF HOSTILITY AND POWER THAN BY SEXUAL DESIRE. OFFENDER INTERVIEWS ARE EXCERPTED. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)