Men are raped, not 'assaulted'

2003-07-23 08:35

Elsabé Brits

Cape Town - Experts believe that 10% of all rape victims are men. This figure excludes boys and prisoners.

Professor Divya Singh, executive director of police practice at Technikon Southern Africa, says the general attitude to male rape is largely disbelief, blame and mockery.

Gay men often believe they have been raped because they are gay, while heterosexual men question their sexual identity and are more worried about the influence of the rape on their sex life than the violence aspect.

Singh says: "Most of the sexual assaults on men are carried out by men who consider themselves to be heterosexual."

The study says the act of raping men or women apparently is not for sexual gratification, but it is an instrument of power and control.

According to the South African justice system, men cannot be raped. The legal definition of rape is limited to women and men can be indecently assaulted only. Most courts consider it a lesser transgression than rape.

Singh recommends in her study that the law books be re-written to bring about equality of gender and sexuality.

She says: "The combination of cultural, social, legal and psychological aspects are leading to the rape of men getting the least attention of all the problems facing our society."

- Die Burger