(TLF) The Ultimate Law Is Love

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Ways to classify rape

Take note so you don't think you're doing the right thing when in actuality you're a rapist

Beyond the legal definitions, society tends to classify rape by the situation in which it occurred.

Acquaintance rape/date rape

This refers to rape committed by someone known to the victim. It is often difficult to convict anyone of this sort of rape, as in such a situation it is much harder to prove that any sex was non-consensual. There is also the additional problem that many people tend to blame the victim for such rapes, making it more difficult for the victim to press charges. However, despite any difficulty with evidence, the law makes no distinction even if the party intended to go all the way, said they would go all the way, then said "no" at the last moment. If it becomes nonconsensual at any point and the other partner insists on completing the act, it becomes rape.

Corrective rape

"Corrective rape" is the phenomenon in which men rape lesbians, suspected lesbians, gay men, asexuals or transgender people in order to "cure" them of their homosexuality, asexuality or gender identity (because, as we all know, being forced to do something you don't want to is a sure-fire way to get you to actually like it). It is reported to be an increasing problem in South Africa and other African nations. It is also noted in heavily African-influenced cultures; Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel recorded a song on the theme entitled "gay Correction."

Domestic rape

Marital or domestic rapes are those that happen within established partnerships. They often do not involve physical violence, but instead threats of violence, as well as emotional threats, threats to withdraw financial support, and even threats to children (especially step-children). Statistics from the United Kingdom suggest that marital rape is the most common type of rape.

Domestic rape is the most commonly experienced rape in the male gay community. Unfortunately, this is often overlooked or downplayed in Western society as rape is usually seen as a crime solely against women.

Historically, rape within marriage was not considered criminal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia until 2003. Even then, all but 17 states still had some elements of the marital rape exemption on their books, such as laws allowing for mental health treatment instead of incarceration of marital rapists. Wingnuts like Phyllis Schlafly or Vox Day overlook marital rape, brushing it off as the result of a dereliction of "duty" on the wife's part.

Gang rape

"Gang rape" is a general term for a rape in which many people assault one victim. Recent surveys show that such rapes are becoming more frequent on American university campuses, especially in situations where there is excessive drinking by the perpetrators and victim.

Gang rape is also associated with real gangs; some gang initiation rituals involve sex, which is quite often carried out non-consensually, and gang rape can also be used as a form of humiliation and punishment.

Military rape

In military contexts, the need to keep units operational at all costs can cause conflicts with the goal of bringing rapists in the ranks to justice. The strict military chain of command can also be an issue, if, for example, a commanding officer rapes a subordinate, or abuses their authority to cover up rape committed by a subordinate so as not to compromise a mission, or just to "save face."

Recently, the U.S. military has been forced to acknowledge that it has a significant problem with rape, and is attempting to introduce counter-measures and change its culture by way of preventative action. There is also a problem with rape in the British military.

Prison rape

Prison rape, although mostly committed by men against men, does not usually imply that the perpetrators are gay; it is not generally done for erotic purposes, but instead to punish, terrorize, or humiliate the victim. In US prisons, it has reached epidemic levels.

Prison rape is also carried out by prison guards. This kind of prison rape is also already at epidemic levels in the U.S. In fact, in a 2013 study by the Department of Justice, 8% of inmates at juvenile prisons around the country report sexual abuse at the hands of prison guards. Nine out of ten of the victims were males raped by female guards.

It's unfortunately often considered socially acceptable to joke about prisoners getting raped or even express a wish that they get raped, as long as the prisoner is male. This is especially true if the prisoner is a sex offender, where some see it an appropriate revenge. However, the prisoners who get subjected to rape tend to be young, small, physically weak, white, gay, first offender, possessing "feminine" characteristics such as long hair or a high voice; being passive, shy, intellectual, not street-smart, or "passive" — not exactly the kinds of characteristics it would be good public policy to punish with rape, if it even is in the first place. Additionally, keep in mind that most of the people in prison are there for non-violent drug-related offenses.

War rape

The act of raping victims in a war is often an act of attempted humiliation for the entire captured society. Raping your defeated victims also acts to intimidate others who may wish to challenge you. War rape has been outlawed as a war crime internationally by the Geneva Conventions since 1949.

The Rape of Nanjing by the Japanese Militarists shortly before WWII carried shades of genocide. The victorious Soviets raped millions of German and Polish women in the invasion and later occupation of Germany and Eastern Europe during and after the war.

Despite that, war rape has been recorded in a number of wars over the last 50 years. This includes the Afghanistan War, the Libyan Revolution, Colombia, Bosnian War, the Gulf War, the Sudanese Civil War, the Syrian Civil War, the Chechen Wars, Nepal and others.