Types of Rapists and Their Rehabilitation - Essay Example

The most common type, accounting for about 40% of all the reported rape cases, is referred to as the power assertive rapists (Gayle, 2009). These persons wish to be alpha males and would value physical aggression and machismo. They would pose as the authority figures for the victims that they would meet in meeting places. They rarely have a specific target and do not intend to kill their victims, but often humiliate and traumatize them. On the other hand, would be the power reassurance rapists who do not value physical aggression; are socially deficient; are averagely intelligent, and do not excel in developing romantic or interpersonal relationships. Termed as the least violent, these rapists, accounting for 27.5% of rape crimes, would select and stalk their victims before attacking them, thus are people known to the victims (Atkinson & Bailey, 2008).

Other than power, anger shapes up anger retaliation rapists, often substance abusers, exuding anger-related pathologies and impulsive behavior. Not being specific on any target, these rapists, accounting for about 28% of the rapes, would have animosity against the gender to be attacked (Gayle, 2009). Low on intelligence, anger retaliatory rapists are spontaneous and often brutal and even though they do not intend to kill, they could beat dead their victims. As such, they leave behind evidence. Finally, the most dangerous yet so elusive type of rapists referred to as anger excitation rapists account for about 4.5% of rape cases (Atkinson & Bailey, 2008). These, often sadistic rapists, could or could not select their victims, often murdering to avoid being identified by the victim or just for self-gratification.

To rehabilitate these rapists, this paper borrows recommendations by Hedlund and Göthberg (2005) to implement the best approach. Power assertive and power reassurance rapists seek to resolve their insufficiencies through rape; they commit the crime, not as a solution, but rather in search of a solution that they find difficult to put in words. Therefore, they would be best rehabilitated by assisting them to determine what they should do instead. Anger retaliation and sadist rapists could be largely suffering from biological conditions and as such should be introduced to anti-hormonal substances that would lessen their interest in sex.

In summary, it would be important to appreciate that these categories of rapists operate on the tenets of control and power. This categorization describes the kind of person in the perpetrator as opposed to the survivor. Understanding this would be critical in enabling rape victims to redirect blame and anger from themselves towards where it should be. It also serves as an important start to determining the rehabilitation approach with the perpetrators being expected to take responsibility for the selected approach.