Behavioural Patterns in Rape as a Sexual Assault

Abstract

This article aims to understand rape as a complex criminal behaviour with multiple patterns and varying motivations by taking a classification-based approach. This moves beyond the stereotypical image that reduces rape to merely a sexual crime. It presents the Massachusetts Treatment Center (MTC: R3) classification of rapists, which categorises them into types such as opportunistic, anger-retaliatory, sexually sadistic, non-sadistic and vindictive. Additionally, it discusses a range of explanatory variables related to understanding and analysing rape behaviour, including aggression, impulsivity, social competence, sexual fantasies, sadism, beliefs and naïve perceptions. This article aids the analysis of individual differences among rapists and contributes to preventive, therapeutic and security approaches within social and cultural contexts and specificities.