Making sense of male rape: constructions of gender, sexuality and experience of rape victims

Article


Doherty, Kathy and Anderson, I. 2004. Making sense of male rape: constructions of gender, sexuality and experience of rape victims. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 14 (2), pp. 85-103.
AuthorsDoherty, Kathy and Anderson, I.
Abstract

This study reports a preliminary investigation into accounting practices for male rape in conversation. Two main issues are raised for discussion in response to a male rape incident: the experience of the rape act and societal responses to male victims. A ‘hierarchy of suffering’ is established where rape is judged to be worse for ‘heterosexual’ men than it is for ‘women’ or ‘gay’ men. Hegemonic, phallocentric representations of heterosexuality are mobilized to argue that acts of rape and consensual intercourse are the same for ‘gay’ men and ‘women’ and therefore less traumatic than for ‘heterosexual’ men. This obscures the violence of rape for gay men and women and exonerates perpetrators by minimizing injury sustained. Participants also argue that heterosexual victims are likely to experience ridicule for having departed from hegemonic masculinity. Arguments are constructed to avoid charges of being dismissive towards women and gay men and of victim blaming in relation to heterosexual men.

Keywordsmale rape; conversation; accounts; discourse analysis; gender; hegemonic masculinity; phallocentric heterosexuality
JournalJournal of Community & Applied Social Psychology
Journal citation14 (2), pp. 85-103
ISSN1052-9284
1099-1298
Year2004
Accepted author manuscript
License
CC BY-ND
Web address (URL)http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/casp.765
http://hdl.handle.net/10552/1046
Publication dates
PrintMar 2004
Publication process dates
Deposited23 Nov 2010
Additional information

Citation:
Doherty, K.and Anderson, I. (2004) ‘Making sense of male rape: Constructions of gender, sexuality and experience of rape victims’, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 14 (2) pp.85-103..

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