1) Biological Theories
Genetics, abnormal hormonal levels and brain dysfunction have all been linked to sexual offending. To date, there is no evidence of a genetic in sex-offending (Langevin, 1993), although case reports of pedophilic fathers and sons have been reported (Gaffner, Lurie & Berlin, 1984). Some researchers have hypothesised this to be reflective of neuro-endocrine abnormalities, such that abnormal hormonal levels may disrupt the sexual arousability of an individual. This is based on the belief that the endocrine system drives sexual behaviour (Langevin, 1993). There is some evidence for this in the literature with peripheral blood samples of pedophiles indicating abnormal testosterone levels (Bain et al., 1988) and increased plasma testosterone levels in rapists (Berlin, 1989). However, the use of anti-androgen medication in the treatment of sex offenders aims to reduce sexual arousal by decreasing testosterone levels (Maletzky & Field, 2003). Therefore, there does appear to be some current support for the belief that biologically driven sexual urges may contribute to the motivation of sexual offences.
An alternative position in this realm is the neurophysiological hypothesis proposed by Flor-Henry (1987).. As such, he proposed that the observed EEG differences in sex-offenders were reflective of a pathological neural organisation in the dominant hemisphere thus giving rise to abnormal sexual representations, which in turn lead to, disrupted connections with the non-dominant hemisphere. Consequently, only these abnormal ideas are capable of eliciting an orgasmic response. Contrary to these theories is the hypothesis that brain dysfunction may not produce the sexual urges; rather it may function to weaken an individu...
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...ists may not have the same strength of inhibition to the rape stimuli (Barbaree & Marshall, 1991). Similarly, the response compatibility perspective (Blader & Marshall, 1989) identifies differences in inhibitory mechanisms. This position argues that rape cues cannot stimulate an individual to rape as non-consent and violence occur as a product of rape not as an antecedent. These authors postulate that aggression and sexual arousal are mutually inhibitory mechanisms in the normal male. Such that, if an individual is sexually aroused, it precludes an aggressive response at the same time. However, in the rapist these two mechanisms function together and are thus seen as compatible. It is argued that this is the defining feature of rape. There is some evidence for this inhibitory model in the literature (Lohr, Adams & Davis, 1997), although much remains to be conducted.
Worling, J .(2012). The assessment and treatment of deviant sexual arousal with adolescents who have offended sexually. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 18(1), 36-63. doi: 10.1080/13552600.2011.630152
Knight, Zelda G. "Sexually Motivated Serial Killers And The Psychology Of Aggression And "Evil" Within A Contemporary Psychoanalytical Perspective." Journal Of Sexual Aggression 13.1 (2007): 21-35. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Web. 1 May 2014.
This essay will examine the social and cultural conditions, within the macro-diachronic and micro-synchronic theoretical models , that intensify or perpetuate sexual assault. I have chosen only one concept from each model because these are the only concepts that I feel that I can use to most accurately and comprehensively depict causes and reasons for why sexual assault is deeply entrenched in our social structure. I will thus explore, from these ideological viewpoints, some of the motivations and circumstances which lead offenders to sexual assault. I will also fuse some of the historical attitudes from which today's concepts have evolved to our contemporary understanding of this social phenomena. However, it’s important that we look beyond both offenders' motivations and history, and to the greater sociological view, if we are to correctly reconstruct acts of violence such as sexual assault.
Ward, T., Polaschek, D. L. L. & Busch, A. R. (2006). Theories of sexual offending. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
...nder-egalitarian societies and rampant in patriarchal societies, I conclude sexual violence is a means of asserting power such that weakening women enforces strength of men. This power struggle is becomes more potent when legitimized by the state in warfare and the penal code that exempts men from accountability for their sexually predatory crimes. Thus, the inconsistencies of the occurrence of rape across different societies suggest that male sexual violence is not inborn and universal. While evolutionary advocates argue that male predisposition to achieving power is innate, they disregard the agency of choice entirely. I contend that cultural realities and not biological urges determine whether a man enacts violence. Thus, there are faultlines in our culture that enable rapists to commit their crime. By identifying these flaws, rape can be eliminated from society.
The third theory is the biological theory, which says that there are three types of biological explanations offered to explain rape. The first one is that some rapists have a brain dysfunction, which causes them to do it impulsively with the aggression being a part of that. The second one is that rapis...
In today’s society, juveniles that commit a sexual assault have become the subject of society. It’s become a problem in the United States due to the rise of sexual offenses committed by juveniles. The general public attitude towards sex offenders appears to be highly negative (Valliant, Furac, & Antonowicz, 1994). The public reactions in the past years have shaped policy on legal approaches to managing sexual offenses. The policies have included severe sentencing laws, sex offender registry, and civil commitment as a sexually violent predator (Quinn, Forsyth, & Mullen-Quinn, 2004). This is despite recidivism data suggesting that a relatively small group of juvenile offenders commit repeat sexual assaults after a response to their sexual offending (Righthand &Welch, 2004).
Groth (1979) recognised four types of rapists; power-reassurance, power-assertive, anger-retaliation and anger-excitation. According to Groth’s typology, Marc Ronald’s fits into two of the typologies, power-assertive and anger retaliation. Power-assertive rapists are those who experience feelings of inadequacy and have poor social skills; they doubt their desirability so result to using aggressive behaviour towards the victim to reinstate fears regarding masculinity. (Robertiello & Terry, 2007, p.509). Sex offenders that fall into this typology often use verbal intimidation against their victims to feel a sense of power.
According to Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams we all have wishes and desires. One of the most common of these repressed desires is the wish to sexually pos...
...f brain abnormalities on psychosocial development, criminal history and paraphilias in sexual murderers." J Forensic sci 50.5 (2005): 1204-8.
Biological theory is the concept that focuses on certain biological characteristics that are thought to be associated with an increased risk of engaging in criminal or deviant behavior (Bernard, Snipes & Gerould, 2010). Early biological theories tended to focus on the physical appearance as a distinguishing trait of criminals, whereas modern theories primarily argue that biology is one of many factors that contribute toward criminal behavior (Bernard, Snipes & Gerould, 2010). Early rape theorist included that of Johan Lavater, Fran’s...
In “Sex and Violence: A Perspective,” MacKinnon turns her focus to the common definition of rape as a form of violence. The categorizations of rape, sexual harassment, and pornography as forms of violence are problematic in themselves because they do not capture the reality of sex. In fact, much of intercourse is about violence (MacKinnon p. 268), in the way that power and dominance are extremely eroticized, thus to say “rape is violence” is a misnomer. MacKinnon brings one’s attention to the construction of rape, which separates rape from intercourse based on the amount of force applied (p. 268). This definition is especially legitimate in the legal system, which derives solely from a male point of view: it is called rape when there is penetratio...
What controls a human's sexual orientation? The long-standing debate of nature versus nurture can be extended to explaining human sexual orientation. Is it biological or environmental? The biological explanation has been gaining popularity amongst the scientific community although it is only based on speculations. It is argued that sexual orientation is linked to factors that occur during sexual differentiation. The prenatal exposure to androgens and their affect on the development of the human brain play a pivotal role in sexual orientation (2). Heredity is also part of the debate. Does biology merely provide the slate of neural circuitry upon which sexual orientation is inscribed? Do biological factors directly wire the brain so that it will support a particular orientation? Or do biological factors influence sexual orientation only indirectly?
Other areas that are sometimes activated include: the amydgala (Stoléru et al., 2011); the claustrum (Arnow et al., 2002; Stoléru et al., 2011); the orbitofrontal cortex (Stoléru et al., 2011); the hypothalamus (Redouté et al., 2002; Stoléru et al., 2011); the insula (Arnow et al., 2002; Moulier et al., 2006; Stoléru et al., 2011); the ventral striatum (Redouté et al., 2000; Stoléru et al., 2011); the cerebellum (Aalto et al., 2002; Ivry & Fiez, 2000; Stoléru et al., 2011). These areas are only a few of the many areas that are activated in response to sexual stimuli, and they activate for a variety of reasons and in response to various aspects of the stimuli.
Rape is considered to be one element in the “Big Six” of the most common sex-related crimes. It is defined as the unlawful act of sexual activity forced upon a person who did not or was unable to give willing to give consent. There are four main types of a rapist that center around their modus operandi: Power Reassurance, Anger Retaliation, Power Assertive, and Sadistic. The goals of a Power Reassurance rapist are to gain a validation of their status and to validate their sexual adequacy. They view the act as a reassurance of a mutual relationship between them and the victim, and they usually force the victim into acting out their sexual fantasies. This could be done by demanding that the victim talks dirty or by asking reassuring questions