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Evolutionary Perspectives on Rape

This comprehensive exploration delves into the evolutionary perspectives on rape, examining key definitions, individual differences among rapists and victims, and the complexities of male and female dynamics. It discusses semantic distinctions between coercion and social power, integrating historical context from feminist theory and biological research on non-human animals. The study also investigates psychological pain related to rape, particularly among women of reproductive age, alongside evolutionary theories about the likelihood of committing rape, emphasizing ongoing research directions and implications for understanding dominance and coerciveness.

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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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