Talking about sexual violence can be controversial , given the impact it has on society and due to the popular belief historically transmitted regarding the subject.

When we hear some news about a sexual assault, we automatically imagine a male individual, with some mental disorder and a bit of society’s mismatch, who lurks in the dark for a young woman he doesn’t know to force her sexually in some hidden place and we are very surprised to discover that in the vast majority of cases, this is not what happens.

Some statistics to understand the problem

According to a macro survey conducted by the government in 2017, only in 18% of the cases the sexual aggression is carried out by a stranger , which means that 82% of the sexual aggressions are produced by people known by the victim.

Another relevant fact highlighted in the report on multiple sexual assaults in Spain (2016-2018) is that in 98% of the cases the aggressors are male, aged between 18 and 47, and the female victims are between 18 and 32 on average. Likewise, the most common scenarios where the aggressions took place were the street and the victim’s home with the same percentage of 27%.

It should be mentioned, however, that in sexual aggressions carried out by strangers, greater violence is usually exercised against the victim by the aggressor and the experience of this usually leads to a greater feeling of defenselessness and fear for one’s own survival in the victim.

How do you explain the motivation for sexual assault?

It is difficult to profile a sex offender, although some common features can be established.

They are people of normal appearance with an average intelligence , from all cultural, religious and economic groups, who do not necessarily present a psychiatric pathology. However, they may present features of neuroticism, introversion, immaturity, self-centeredness and low self-esteem. But by themselves, these traits would not be sufficient or determinant to commit a sexual aggression.

Other factors should also be considered, such as poor learning of behavioural inhibition , poor parental educational models, severe and inconsistent parental discipline, aggressive and/or alcoholic parents, physical and sexual abuse in childhood and notable social deficits, which prevent them from establishing age-appropriate relationships.

Likewise, the fact of committing a crime of a sexual nature may be preceded by emotional states of prolonged stress, sexual excitement, outbursts of anger , abusive alcohol consumption and moods such as depression, anxiety, anger or loneliness or the interrelationship of one or more of these factors.

Finally, it is worth mentioning two important aspects inherent to the exercise of any type of violence: distorted thinking that can justify the conduct carried out at a rational level and minimize the damage caused to the victim, and a context or circumstances that are conducive to carrying out the aggression.

What about group sexual assaults?

What has been said so far would serve to explain the sexual aggressions that are produced by a single individual with the intention of satisfying his sexual desires and fantasies, but… what happens in the rest of the cases?

Until a couple of years ago, sexual aggressions carried out in groups were not contemplated in the studies and were almost invisible to society. Since 2016, we are witnessing an increase in reports of group rapes, going from 15 cases in that year to 25 cases between January and June 2018. Despite this increase in complaints, we still do not have data to help us clarify why this type of aggression occurs.

According to the experts, a paradoxical fact takes place in group rapes; most of the members of an aggressor group would never rape alone , it is not necessary that the subject be a psychopath, a sadist or an antisocial to be involved in a group performance of this type, a fact that differentiates them and moves them away from the profile of a sexual aggressor.

Attempting to explain this phenomenon, Dr. N. G. Berrill, a forensic psychologist, states that gang rapes are often carried out by young adults and argues that “there is something about the social psychology typical of these groups that may contextualize otherwise unexplained violent group behavior.

Other authors, such as Dr. Oliveros’ group, support the hypothesis of the influence and cohesion of the group as an explanation for carrying out sexual aggressions, arguing that adolescents and young adults are in stages of life in which the sense of belonging to the group, the importance of reputation and submission to the leader acquire extraordinary relevance.

To quote Dr. Berrill, he argues that the fact that gang rapists are men is not a matter of chance, since the threat of feeling rejected or censured by their peers is sufficient motivation for some young people to commit rape.

Although the author also points to a neurological underdevelopment, characteristic of this evolutionary stage. The frontal lobe, where the performance functions, such as the distinction between good and evil, are located, would still be in development.

On the other hand, one thing all the authors agree on is pointing to drugs and alcohol as factors that increase the risk of committing a group sexual assault. On the other hand, one of the most significant characteristics, when carrying out violent behaviour in a group, is that the responsibility for one’s own acts is diluted and does not fall on oneself, but on all the members.

Concluding

In spite of what has been said, there seems to be a lack of arguments to explain this type of aggressions and it is worth asking the weight of the traditional, patriarchal and macho culture , in the commission of this type of crimes, are they an attempt to demonstrate male superiority? An attempt to subject women? Experts in gender-based violence advocate this hypothesis, yet we are faced with a phenomenon that is difficult to explain.

Bibliographic references:

  • Alarcón, T. (2017). Madrid. Europapress: Sexual violence in Spain. From statistical silence to street noise. Recovered from: Http://europapress.es
  • Atencio, G. (2016-2018). Sexual geoviolence. Multiple sexual assaults in Spain. Retrieved from Htt://geoviolenciasexual.com
  • Castro, M.; López, A.; Sueiro, E. (2009). Psychopathological profile of sex offenders. Psychosomatic medicine and psychiatry notebooks. Recovered from: Http://editorialmedica.com
  • Garza, J.; Diaz-Michel, E. (1996). Elements for the study of rape. Retrieved from Http://www.scielosp.org
  • Oliveros, S. (2018). Dr. Oliveros Group. Herd rapists: group dynamics and clinical characteristics. Recovered from Http://www.grupodoctoroliveros.com
  • WHO. (2013). Understanding and addressing violence against women. Recovered from: Http://apps.who.int
  • Ramirez, C. (2018). Hufftingtonpost. The Other Herds: Reports of group sexual assaults soar in 2018. Recovered from: Http://www.hufftingtonpost.es
  • The U.S. Department of justice. NSOPW. Raising Awareness of Sexual Abuse. Facts and statistics. Retrieved from Http://www.nsopw.gov
  • Tourjée, D. (2016): What causes some young people to rape in groups? Retrieved from Http://www.vice.com