Gay Rape - Its Myths and Presence in Society

Gay rape, Its myths and presence in society

We should not make the mistake that law can provide the solution to the oppression that it celebrates and sustains’ critically discuss the prosecution of rape within the criminal justice system and reflect on the operation of power.

Rape is an emotional and traumatic experience for all those involved either in the act of rape or in the court trial that takes place. It is often hard to recollect pieces of the event for factors of drugs, alcohol, trauma or violence in the situation. Although rape has different legal definitions around the globe a universal definition is ‘Rape is sexual intercourse physically forced on one person by another . This definition clearly states that it is nonconsensual by one party. When discussing rape it is important to note that no person is immune from raping or being raped .

This essay will discuss male on male rape. This is the case when both the victim and the accused are male. This essay will explore different beliefs among different legal ideologies of the Western world. The essay will be broken into two parts. Part one: Rape myths and the power involved. The second topic will discuss Justice in the legal system for male rape victims and their perpetrators.

Approaching law and power can be broken into three categories. First it must be available to anyone to use in everyday life. Male victims of rape must be able to use it to find justice. Second the law should not be exercised over the victim. It should not disempower them in anyway. They should not feel vulnerable. Men who are raped must not feel discriminated against. They must not feel vulnerable by the courts. Third, the law should be used as a safety blanket protecting citizens from the unknown. Men must feel safe and know that there are laws out there protecting them from this horrible crime . These are the ideal assumptions that the law is supposed to be. Throughout this essay it will be shown that this is far from the truth and we should not make the mistake that law can provide the solution to the oppression that it celebrates and sustains.

Firstly this essay will discuss the various male rape myths. These myths are often played out in court rooms and humored out by society. Often quoted as ‘an age old problem which has been taboo up to now’ ‘I do not mean to suggest that men are not raped. The general invisibility of the problem of male rape, at least outside the prison context, may reflect the intensity of stigma attached to the crime and the homophobic reactions against its gay victims. In some respects the situation facing male rape victims today is not so different from that which faced female victims about two centuries ago.’ Why? Why is it that men who are raped by men