Policing Male Rape and Sexual Assault

Abstract

This article examines an issue that has been largely ignored in the growing literature on the treatment of sexual offences within the criminal justice system, i.e. the treatment of adult male rape and sexual assault complainants by the police. This analysis is based upon a series of interviews with men who have reported their experiences of rape and sexual assault. It considers issues of victim care and satisfaction with the performance of the police, along with other criminal justice professionals. These experiences are placed in a broader research context that indicates some of the features of men's treatment by the police, along with recurrent themes that are also seen in the treatment of female complainants. Finally, this article critically considers claims that the criminal justice's treatment of male and female rape is influenced by gender bias.

Gay male rape victims: law enforcement, social attitudes and barriers to recognition

“…57 While such statements reflect obvious concerns in the treatment of male rape by the police, one should show caution about suggesting that men or women receive preferential treatment within the English legal system. 58 On the current evidence, it is simply not possible to make a resilient argument in favour of preferential treatment of either male or female complainants. 59 …”

The Unknown Victims: Hegemonic Masculinity, Masculinities, and Male Sexual Victimisation

“…This is a particular problem, due to some research arguing that the police are homophobic and execute homophobic attitudes toward male rape victims (e.g., Stermac et al 1996;Lees 1997;Gregory and Lees 1999). Although these research studies were conducted over a decade ago, there is no recent research that examines the police responses to male rape victims, other than Rumney (2008Rumney ( , 2009), Abdullah-Khan 2008's recent monograph, and Javaid (2015cJavaid ( , 2016cJavaid ( , 2017.…”

“…Chapleau et al (2008: 604) "speculate that the same attitudes that function to support rape myths about female victims may also function to support rape myths about male victims." Recent research has found that secondary victimisation is prevalent, which refers to attitudes and behaviors that are insensitive, hostile, homophobic and victim blaming by the police (Rumney 2008(Rumney , 2009). This supports earlier findings from Donnelly and Kenyon (1996), Hodge and Canter (1998), Gregory and Lees (1999), and Lees (1997).…”

Gender Neutrality, Rape and Trial Talk

“…There is certainly consistent evidence from attitude surveys that suggest male rape victims who are gay are seen as more blameworthy and less traumatised by their experience, than either heterosexual male victims or according to some studies, female victims [53]. This evidence might be explained, in part, by attitudes which suggest gay males are less masculine and therefore less like 'real' men and, as such, are more likely to be seen as feminine and consequently, their victimisation seen as less serious [55].…”

“…While it is not currently possible to know precisely the extent to which cultural rape narratives impact on male rape and sexual assault trials, our present understanding of criminal justice responses to male rape suggest similarities in treatment with cases of female rape [37,38,55]. Consequently, it is unwise to over-emphasise the linkage of negative treatment of female rape complainants and issues of gender bias.…”