Male Rape in Prison: An Overview

• NCJ Number: 221591
• Journal: Acta Criminologica Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: 2004 Pages: 1-13
• Author(s): K. Booyens; A. Hesselink-Louw; P. Mashabela
• Date Published: 2004
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: South Africa
• Note: To access the full text PDF: 1) select the provided link; 2) from the Acta Criminologica Web site, select "Table of Contents"; 3) select the corresponding Volume and Issue (see the NCJRS abstract record for the exact Volume and Issue); 4) scroll the Table of Contents to the exact article; and 5) click on the "full text" icon. Downloaded on February 14, 2008.

Annotation

The focus of this overview is on males who rape other males in correctional facilities in South Africa.

Abstract

Rape of males, while a widespread and an extremely serious problem, has escaped the attention of society because of deep taboos springing from popular conceptions that to be raped is to forfeit one’s masculinity. The actual dynamics of rape are only beginning to be explored, and very little of what is known to students of the phenomenon has penetrated the public consciousness. Until the taboo is broken, there is little hope that survivors of male rape will be enabled to deal with the rape trauma. When analyzing the facts of prison rape and comparing these to what is purported by the justice system and the media, there appears to be one common thread, namely the public interest, or the lack thereof. Prison rape is no secret to the public. Historically, the rape of males was more widely recognized than in current times. The consequences of male-on-male prisoner rape are both psychological and physical. Characteristics of prison rapists seem to be unclear and unpredictable. However, perpetrators tend to be young and old, but generally under 35 years of age; they are larger and/or stronger, more assertive, physically aggressive, and more at home in the prison environment than their victims. Certain prisoners are targeted for sexual assault, their age, looks, sexual orientation, and other characteristics mark them as candidates for abuse. Characteristics include: youth, small size, physical weakness, being White, or a first offender, possessing feminine characteristics, being unassertive, unaggressive, shy, intellectual, not street smart, passive or having been convicted of a sexual offense against a minor. This paper describes the complex dynamics of male prisoner-on-prisoner sexual abuse. An extensive literature review is conducted on national and international findings and South Africa data was extracted from the Department of Correctional Services to outline the South African problem. Tables, bibliography