Thesis on "Women and Rape"

Thesis 10 pages (3530 words) Sources: 10 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Women and Rape

The main idea behind focusing on the concept of rape fantasies in relation to the topic of women and rape is that an all-encompassing, thorough, theoretical and practical philosophy can be formed that can clearly and explicitly remove whatever doubts or inclinations that people have on the false idea that women want to get raped. The paper will highlight some of the prevalent and primary philosophies that already exist on the reasons behind the existence of rape fantasies and will highlight how practically applicable and scientifically sound these philosophies are. We will analyze the logic behind the philosophies i.e. whether the theories are based on real facts or speculations; we will analyze its practicality by assessing how it is linked to rape fantasies and what aspects of rape fantasies does it explain; the paper will also highlight the various triggers, social, mental, physical and bodily that denote higher ratios of rape fantasies amongst women and the impact that it has on their lives and personalities.

Rape and women's sexual drive

To understand the phenomenon of rape, we have to first understand the dynamics that might lead to it. One of the strongest dynamics that have been discussed in various researches is the phenomenon of sexual fantasies. Sexual fantasies can be very vivid and simultaneously can be very vague and can be based on real life experiences or mere thoughts (Leitenberg & Henning, 1995). Fantasies can actually pour significant light on the reasons behind the attitude structure and choices an individual makes because there are no social or moral boundaries when it comes to sexual fantasies and hence can allow us to really understand how an individual's mind works and reacts and then influences his behavioral patterns (Ellis & Symons, 1990).

The string of concepts that have been founded on the basis of sexual fantasies is the concept of rape fantasies which has always bewildered many of the psychologists of the phenomenon. Hazen (1983), in one of his researches, explained that the existence of the phenomenon of rape fantasies alone is not the only bewilderment, the true puzzler is when one starts to analyze the reasons behind the existence of the phenomenon. He explains that one of the reasons for the existence of this phenomenon is that people usually fantasize about things that cannot become reality or things that they don't want to really become a reality. Kanin in his study explains that the rape fantasy is usually shunned by mist individuals because of the revulsion of the act itself, yet, the fantasies that invoke danger or fear usually are grounds for an abundant source of thrill, gratification and sexual stimulation (Kanin, 1982).

Exciting and Reluctant Rape Fantasies

Kanin (1982) in his study assessed the phenomenon of rape fantasies through conducting a structured interview of women which was mainly restricted to one or two questions. The weakness in this approach of Kanin was that he had structured the question with a specified setup of words that could have provoked the responses that he got form his sample of women. The answers were reluctant but nevertheless revealed that most of the rape fantasies that the women had invoked mainly danger, fear or excitement. He stated that women had rape fantasies were either fearful and dangerous or exciting and erotic. However, his stats showed that 54% of the women interviewed explained that they were raped by men who they found attractive but the fantasy itself was fearful both in terms of the act as well as the consequences of the act. Another 21% of the women interviewed explained that the rape fantasy invoked both exhilaration and fear in them.

Kanin explains that the usually the exciting rape fantasies are the ones where the women show little to no resistance towards the controlling sexual approach of a man that they find endearing. He mainly called them "seduction" fantasies and not rape fantasies because of the willingness of the women. However, many researchers argue that the "seduction" title is not really appropriate as in the fantasies the women did show resistance and the extent of resistance shouldn't be the determinants of whether the fantasies were rape fantasies or not especially because there is no way to prove that the resistance wasn't real (Duddle, 1991; Johnson, 1985). They say that real rape scenarios also show records of minimal women resistance but that doesn't take away anything from the actual act of the rape.

Current Explanations for Rape Fantasies

There are many philosophies and approaches that have been highlighted numerous studies to particularly understand the dynamics of the rape fantasies and the reason behind their existence. All of the primary and most influential philosophies need to be assessed practically in order to clearly understand this phenomenon. All of the philosophies need to be examined because there is no evidence that proves that any one of them is entirely true or entirely wrong. There are some philosophies that shed accurate light on ones aspect and are nevertheless inadequate for another aspect of rape fantasies. Furthermore, like everything else, the existence of rape fantasies has to have more then one reason behind its existence and these reasons are dependent on human nature which is very inconsistent. Yet there are certain philosophies that are more reliable and consistent then others. The bottom line is this that the rape fantasy theories need to be analyzed within three elements:

The sexual act

The dominating and forceful means to commit the sexual act

The resistance of the women towards the dominating and forceful means being used.

Furthermore, the rape fantasy theory also needs to incorporate the reason behind the willing desire for such a fantasy and the reasons behind having a contradicting attitude towards rape in the real world. Most theories confirm that women have a very permissive attitude towards a sexual fantasy which, upon assessment, could help in understanding why women fantasize about rape (Leitenberg & Henning, 1995).

Masochism

The first primary philosophy was first designed by Deutsch (1944) who took up a psychological approach and explained that the rape fantasies were mainly a result of the women's unaware inner desire of hurt, distress or anguish. Deutsch called this the masochism. He further explained that the men being physically stronger then the women and being more capable of giving protection, the inclination of the women to be as string, independent and somewhat aggressive was much stronger and much more persistent in women then in men. Deutsch explains that since the parents have an overly protective attitude towards their daughters and don't et them experience as much independence as their sons, the independence and aggressive drive is channeled towards heightened sexual and rape fantasies (Deutsch, 1944).

However, while the logics of Deutsch's philosophies make sense, the practical implication doesn't. Kanin (1982) in his study assessed that the none of the women reported having derived any pleasure from the act of the sexual and rape fantasy and since that is the case the concept of the desire to go through the pain, as stated in masochism, becomes void. Bond and Mosher (1986) in their study painted two different rape scenarios to women to understand where the sexual fantasy is more dominant as opposed to the disapproval towards the concept of rape. They concluded that the sexual pleasure and fantasy was at its highest when the rape fantasy scenario was designed so that they, the women, would experience the least amount of uneasiness or pain as opposed to when the pain and anguish were at a high level. There are many studies that still show stats that while rape fantasies might be real amongst women, the majority of women thinks of rape as an embarrassing, derogatory, disgusting and disturbing phenomenon and do not want to raped for real (Bond & Mosher, 1986; Gold et al., 1991; Resnick & Acierno, 1997; Wilson, 1987; Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, & Michaels, 1994).

Sexual Blame Avoidance

Another important philosophy is that the rape fantasies are formed due to the women channeling their guilt of desiring sex or being sexually active or aroused (Crepault et al., 1977; Deutsch, 1944; Hollender, 1970; Knafo & Jaffe, 1984). The logic behind this approach is that women are put on a high piety pedestal where they are not expected to be excessively sexual and stereotyping like calling a woman "tramp" or "slut" is what helps keep women in check of their sexuality. So, accordingly, this philosophy allows women to channel their guilt for their sexuality into rape fantasies and develop certain negative traits like shame and despair that eventually lead them to feeling sexual contentment. This is so because a rape fantasy allows the women to be overpowered by the man and hence releases her from any guilt that she might feel for being engaged sexually. This idea has been supported by many researchers especially when they analyze societies where women are brought up under sexually suppressive environments where the development of shame in identifying one's sexuality and engaging in sexual activities… READ MORE

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