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Evolutionary Perspectives on Rape

Evolutionary Perspectives on Rape. Starting Points. Language: “Victims” vs. “Survivors” Averages: Individual differences in rapists, victims Male rapists, female victims. Definitional Issues (1). Definitions: Penile-Vaginal? Force or threat of force? Resistance?.

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Evolutionary Perspectives on Rape

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  1. Evolutionary Perspectives on Rape

  2. Starting Points • Language: “Victims” vs. “Survivors” • Averages: Individual differences in rapists, victims • Male rapists, female victims

  3. Definitional Issues (1) • Definitions: • Penile-Vaginal? • Force or threat of force? • Resistance?

  4. Definitional Issues (2) • “Copulation involving either the individual’s resistance to the best of his/her ability, or the reasonable likelihood that such resistance would result in death or bodily harm to the victim or others whom he/she commonly protects.” (Palmer, 1989)

  5. Semantic Issues • Rape vs. forced copulation • Animal models • “They know not what they do” • Sex vs. violence • Rapist’s or victims perspective? • Attractiveness, harm to victim, sex & affection • Legal ramifications

  6. Modern Historical Context (1) • Miller (1931) • Rape is unique to humans because of reshaping of the pelvis • Brownmiller (1975) • Non-human animals do not engage in rape because mating in the wild is controlled by the female estrous cycle

  7. Modern Historical Context (2) • Feminist theory • During rape, “the sexual act is not concerned with sexual gratification but with the deployment of the penis as a concrete symbol of masculine social power” (Sanday, 1990) • Rape "is nothing more or less than a conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear" (Brownmiller, 1975)

  8. Non-Human Animal Research • Research has been conducted on non-human primates, fish, frogs, elephant seals • Considerable focus has been given to waterfowl • Synchronicity • Mate guarding • Sperm competition following FC • Predictive models

  9. Insect Research • Wing perching in the damselfly • Panorpa scorpionfly (Thornhill, 1980) • Three mating strategies

  10. Likelihood of Committing Rape • Rape scenario study (Malamuth et al, 1980) • 17% endorsed rape scenario • 51% endorsed scenario with the condition that they wouldn’t get caught • Additional 21% scored middle of the scale

  11. Rape & EP • Evolutionarily-relevant information (Thornhill & Thornhill, 1991) • Over-representation of women of high reproductive age (RA) • Women of RA more likely to be subjected to penile-vaginal rape • RA associated with ejaculate in the reproductive tract

  12. Psychological Pain • Women of RA suffer more than post-RA women or pre-RA girls • Married women suffer more • Negative correlation between signs of violence and suffering • Penile-vaginal rape caused more suffering only in RA women • Relationship to rapist (stranger, friend, family) Thornhill & Thornhill (1990a,b,c,d)

  13. Rape Avoidance • Chavanne & Gallup (1998) • During ovulatory phase of menstrual cycle, women engage in fewer risky behaviours • Participants taking birth control pills showed little variation • Effect is not an artifact of reduced sex drive or reduced general activity

  14. EP Theories: By-product • Symons (1979), Palmer (1991) • Insufficient evidence for adaptation • Rape is on a continuum of behaviours and is a byproduct of other adaptations (e.g., partner variety and impersonal sex) • Ellis (1989); Malamuth (1996) • Biosocial factors (e.g., delinquency) and neurological differences

  15. EP Theories: Adaptation • Shields & Shields (1983) • Victim “vulnerability detector” • Thornhill & Thornhill (1983) • Mate Deprivation hypothesis • Agreement between adaptationist & by-product theories • Facultative vs. obligate genes • Psychological pain & mate choice violation

  16. Synthesis (1) • EP framework can integrate proximate & ultimate causes into an overarching framework (e.g., Malamuth, 1996)

  17. Synthesis (1) • EP framework can integrate proximate & ultimate causes into an overarching framework (e.g., Malamuth, 1996) Parental Violence Child Abuse Sexual Promiscuity Delinquency Coerciveness against Women Attitudes (Violence) Hostile Masculinity

  18. Synthesis (2) • Feminists vs. evolutionists? • Sex vs. violence? • Muelenhard et al (1996): Control/consent • New research direction • Rape as a short-term mating strategy and the Micro-Mate Deprivation hypothesis (Lalumière et al, in preparation; Lalumière et al, 1996; Lalumière & Quinsey, 1996; Quinsey & Lalumière, 1995)

  19. The Wrap-Up • Definitional & semantic issues • Historical context • Non-human animal & insect research • Rape in humans • Likelihood of committing, evolutionary evidence, psychological pain, avoidance • Rape theories (adaptation vs. by-product) • New research directions

  20. Things to Come • Status, Prestige, & Dominance • Dominance hierarchies • EP theories of dominance • Multilevel-selection and hierarchies • Submissiveness

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