Why do Men Rape?
Rape is one of the most heinous crimes in human history, yet it continues to persist as a global crisis. No victim can deny the horror and trauma of such a dehumanizing experience. Despite ongoing debates and discussions, societies remain largely indifferent, failing to bring significant change. The consequences of rape extend beyond the individual, eroding the very fabric of society.
The Prevalence of Rape Worldwide
Sexual violence is a global issue, but its intensity is particularly high in South Asian countries. In Pakistan, a woman is raped every two hours, yet the conviction rate is only 0.2%, according to a recent survey by SAMAA TV. Cases like that of Zainab, a seven-year-old girl who was raped and murdered in Punjab (BBC), and the horrifying Lahore motorway gang rape, where a woman was assaulted in front of her children (Al Jazeera), highlight the gravity of the situation.
Looking back at history, in the early 2000s, Mukhtaran Bibi was gang-raped on the orders of a tribal council as a form of honor revenge for her brother’s actions (The New York Times). These cases are just a few examples of the brutal reality that women face.
According to the World Bank, 30% of women globally have experienced sexual violence. In India, government data from 2022 reports that 90 rape cases are registered daily, while the National Crime Records Bureau’s 2015 data shows that 85% of sexual violence cases go unreported. The 2012 Nirbhaya case, where a young woman was brutally raped and murdered in a moving bus in South Delhi (Times of India), and the case of Momita, a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered while on night duty (BBC Hindi), further illustrate the widespread nature of this crime.
One of the most disturbing cases in history is that of Junko Furuta in Japan. In 1989, the 16-year-old was kidnapped, tortured, and raped by over 100 men, enduring approximately 500 assaults over 44 days before being murdered. Humanity died here. Similarly, in France, Gisele Pelicot, a 72-year-old woman, was raped by 50 men over a span of 10 years after being drugged to sleep by her husband (BBC). These cases reveal the depth of brutality and inhumanity in rape crimes.
Finding the root causes of Why Do Men Rape?
The question of why men commit rape is not as complicated as it seems. Multiple factors contribute to this crime, including misogynistic language, patriarchal norms, feudalism, victim-blaming, and, most importantly, male ego. Society often promotes rape culture by protecting perpetrators rather than victims.
Men frequently engage in victim-blaming, shifting the responsibility onto the victim herself. This means they argue that the woman is responsible for the assault. To justify this mindset, let’s consider the statement of a rapist interviewed by psychologist Madhumita. When asked why he committed the crime, he responded, “Because she was provoking me and had a bad character. So it was necessary to punish her.” Shockingly, the victim in this case was a five-year-old girl.
Instead of protecting victims, rape culture continues to be normalized. Indian politician Mulayam Singh Yadav once said, “Boys make mistakes; for this, they should not be hanged.” Such statements reflect the deep-rooted acceptance of sexual violence and the failure to hold perpetrators accountable.
At its core, the causes of rape lie in patriarchy, male power, and control. Society often encourages men to prove their masculinity through aggression toward women. By exerting dominance and power, men use rape as a tool to control and subjugate women.
The Psychological Impact on Victims
Research by Samuel D. Smithyman, a clinical psychologist from South Carolina, provides further insight into the minds of rapists. He conducted interviews with 50 convicted rapists and found that what shocked him the most was how “normal” they sounded and how diverse their backgrounds were. This suggests that rape is not necessarily a crime committed by “monsters” but by seemingly ordinary men shaped by a society that enables them.
For survivors, the trauma of rape is life-altering. Women face severe psychological and social challenges, including Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD), depression, marriage concerns, victim-blaming, societal pressure, and personality disorders. The emotional scars remain long after the physical wounds have healed.
Throughout history, women have been subjugated in various ways, but rape remains the most horrific form of oppression. Undoubtedly, change will not happen overnight. However, with stricter legal safeguards, awareness campaigns, and community engagement, this devastating crisis can one day be eradicated.
Society must shift its focus from questioning the victim to holding perpetrators accountable. Only by dismantling rape culture and promoting gender equality can we hope for a future where no woman has to fear for her safety. The time for change is now.
