Serial Rape
Presented by:
Charles L. Feer, JD, MPA
Bakersfield College
Division of Behavioral Sciences
Department of Criminology
Serial Rape
• 2010 Reported 84,767 Forcible Rapes
• 15,586 Arrests.
(2,198 were under age 18.)
• Estimates are that 64% - 96% of all rapes
are NOT reported. (Other studies say 50%
- 90%.) Safe to say, many rapes are not
reported.
• Estimated that 2% - 10% of reported rapes
are false allegations.
Serial Rapes
• There are estimates that 4% of the
offenders are serial rapist, who account for
about 28% of the reported rapes.
• The distinction has to do with type of rape:
– Stranger Abduction / Sexual Assault
– Acquaintance (“Date”) Rape
– Serial rapist who assault victims who are intoxicated or
drugged.
Serial rape
• Because rapists will use the same
specialized method and select similar
targets over the course of their offending,
it is important to understanding
victimology.
• Rape Victims, who many prefer to be
called “Rape Survivors” can be found
across all social classes, occupations,
races, ages and both genders and any
geographical locations.
Serial Rape
• Serial Rapist look for “vulnerable” victims.
• They may be people they associate with,
or otherwise somehow interact.
• “Stranger” Rapes
• Victim Selection:
– A process which the offender chooses or
targets a victim.
– Each offender will have their own personal
selection criteria.
Serial Rape
•
•
•
•
•
•
Victim Selection
“Rational” decision-making process:
Perceived characteristics of the potential victim,
Situational characteristics at the time.
Social, Physical and Geographic environments.
It is likely that the serial offender will use the
same approach to selection and targeting
victims.
• Therefore, must be alert to cues and details that
demonstrate the offender’s selection criteria.
Serial Rape
• Three “Target Selection Scripts”
• Home Track: Intrusion rapist breaks into
the victim’s home while she is alone.
• Uses a weapon to control the victim.
• Enters via an entry point that is
undetected. (i.e. Side door, window.)
• Other method is to become acquainted
and be invited in.
Serial Rape
• Outdoor Script – Victims are outside when
approached.
• Serial Rapist will spend time preparing for
the crime and selecting the victim.
• Non-Coercive – they will approach without
using violence.
• Victims are jogging, reading, rapist will
gain trusts and invite the victim to join him.
Serial Rape
• Outdoor – Coercive Track
• Offender waits outside for an opportunity
and then attacks the victim. (Often times
includes kidnapping the victim.)
• Uses a weapon.
[Teardrop Rapist – L.A. Ca. 1996-2005, 2011-current, 28 attacks.]
• Social Script – victims are engaged in
social or recreational activities prior to
assault. (Bar, Concert, Gym, Swimming,
Shopping.) No prior interaction.
Serial Rape
• Research shows that some offenders are
“crime switching” or engage in “crossover
sexual offenses.”
• Rapist are targeting victims from a variety
of age, and relationship categories.
• They are sometimes thought of as
“opportunity rapist.” (Contardicts traditional
sex offender typologies.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Serial Rapist
Tend to target strangers.
Tend to be male.
Tend to target females.
Age 20 – 23
Lives near 2 – 5 miles of the area of attacks.
Will prepare with detail the manner in which
they will commit the sexual assault.
(Single time rapist tends to act impulsively.)
Look to how the offender interacts or treats the
victim.
May highlight how the offender interacts with
others in his life.
Psychology and Rape
• Not all rapist are alike!
Typologies (text book):
•
•
•
•
Power Reassurance
Anger Retaliation
Power Assertive
Sadistic
Massachusetts Treatment Center
•
•
Classification System - 4 major types,
9 subtypes:
1) Impulsive or Opportunistic Rapist
•
2) Pervasively Angry Rapist
•
3) Sexually Motivated Rapist
•
4) Vindictive Rapist
Massachusetts Treatment Center
•
•
•
•
•
Classification System
1) Impulsive or Opportunistic Rapist
Engages in sexual assault simply because the
opportunity to rape presents itself.
Offender is driven more by situational factors
and opportunity than any internal driven sexual
fantasy.
They view their victims as sexual objects.
Massachusetts Treatment Center
•
1) Impulsive or Opportunistic Rapist
characteristics:
–
Callous indifference to the welfare or comfort of the
victim.
–
Presence of no more force than is necessary to
obtain the compliance of the victim.
(Any excessive force or violence rules out this type
of offender.)
–
Evidence of adult impulsive behavior, such as
frequent fighting, vandalism, or other impulse-driven
antisocial behaviors.
Massachusetts Treatment Center
•
•
•
•
•
•
Classification System
2) Pervasively Angry Rapist
Displays high levels of anger that pervades all
areas of his life.
Anger and assaultive behavior is directed at
whoever gets in his way.
Relative stable occupational history.
(Carpenter, mechanic, electrician, plumber.)
Perceives himself as strong, athletic and
masculine.
Massachusetts Treatment Center
•
2) Pervasively Angry Rapist characteristics:
–
Presence of a high degree of non-sexualized aggression or
rage expressed through verbal or physical assault that clearly
exceeds what is necessary to gain compliance of the victim.
–
Evidence of adolescent and adult violent and angry-driven
antisocial behavior.
–
Carries out attacks that are usually unplanned and not
premediated.
Massachusetts Treatment Center
•
•
•
•
•
Classification System
3) Sexually Motivated Rapist
Presence of sexual or sadistic fantasies and
thought processes that are strongly influenced
of assaults. (i.e. Victim enjoys being abused.)
“Overt” Their sexually aggressive behaviors
are directly expressed in violent acts.
“Muted” (Similar to overt) Offender’s motive is
the victim’s “fear.” (Seeing the fear is what
excites him.)
Massachusetts Treatment Center
• 3) Sexually Motivated Rapist (Sadistic or Muted)
characteristics:
• A level of aggression or violence that clearly exceeds what is
necessary to force compliance of the victim.
• Explicit, unambiguous evidence that aggression is sexually exciting
and arousing to the offender. This can be illustrated either by
indications that the offender derives sexual pleasure from injurious
acts to the victim, or by the fact that injurious acts are focused on
parts of the body that have sexual significance.
• Evidence that sexual fantasies of violence or the victim’s fear excite
him.
Massachusetts Treatment Center
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Classification System
4) Vindictive Rapist
Driven by anger towards women.
Uses the act of rape to harm, humiliate and
denigrate women.
Victims are brutally assaulted. (Biting, cutting,
tearing of parts of the body.)
Offender will use a great deal of profanity and
emotional abuse.
Most offenders are married. (See women as
hostile, demanding, unfaithful.)
Massachusetts Treatment Center
• 4) Vindictive Rapist characteristics:
• Clear evidence, in verbalization or behavior, of the intent to demean,
degrade, or humiliate the victim.
• No evidence that the violent behavior is eroticized or that sexual
pleasure is derived from the injurious acts.
• The injurious acts are not focused on parts of the body that have
sexual significance.
Serial Rapist
•
•
•
•
Stranger Rapes can be investigated from
three levels:
A) Personal Level
B) Physical Level
C) Sexual Level
Serial Rapist
•
Personal level offender may apologize to the victim,
force the victim to “participate” verbally.
•
Physical violating level offender’s actions will include
verbal violence, anal penetration, demeaning the
victim. There will be signs of multiple types of
violence, tearing the victim’s clothing, binding,
gagging, blindfolding.
•
Sexual level will include the acts involving kissing,
fellatio, cunnilingus. Offender will expect the victim to
make complimentary comments about his
performance.
Serial Rape “Themes”
•
Control Theme
•
Hostility Theme
•
Involvement Theme
•
Theft Theme
Serial Rape “Themes”
•
•
•
•
•
Control Theme
Offenders regard the victim as an inanimate
object. Offender will not demean the victim.
Will demobilize by using binding, blindfolding,
gagging.
A weapon is often used.
Offender has no empathy and experiences no
remorse.
Serial Rape “Themes”
•
•
•
Hostility Theme
Verbal violence, insulting, demeaning
language.
Tearing the victim’s clothing.
Serial Rape “Themes”
• Involvement Theme
• Demonstrated offender’s desire for social
contact and intimacy.
• Victim is treated as a reactive, living
person.
• Offender may kiss the victim. Compliment
her appearance.
Serial Rape “Themes”
• Theft Theme
• Rape occurs during the commission of
other crimes.
• Using the opportunities presented by the
other crime. (i.e. Burglary, carjacking,
robbery.)
Questions?
• Quiz follows
Separate piece of paper, with your name,
today’s date, and the following two
answers:
Quiz
•
•
Based on the M.T.C. Classification
System (hand-out) and the description
above; what Classification (description
and type #) would the two case studies
identify?
1) Text page 155
•
2) Text page 163