Third Psychology paper

1. Melvin Gillaspie Jr | Psych 118-102 | April 11, 2016
Psychology of Prison Rape

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Rape happens. Whether it is a college dorm room, jail or prison. Rape is considered as
unwanted forced or coerced sexual intercourse. There are reasons beyond sexual intercourse for
rape. Rapist are found to be motivated by power, control, and revenge. (Nevid & Rathus, 2013)
These reasons are expanded further when we are talking about rape within the detention and
corrections systems. Within those systems rape can be used as currency as well as the reason
already mentioned.
“In prison, there is a known hierarchy of power and word spreads quickly on the
grapevine.” (Denborough, 2005) Most males whom are assaulted or raped fail to report it
due to being embarrassed. The people who commits these assaults and rapes count on this.
They have a “power” over their victims. In jails and prisons just about anything can be used
as currency. This act of violence can also be used to extort their victims. Whether it is for
commissary, which are goods bought at an in-house shop, extra phone privileges, extra food
at meals, extra prescription medicines, or possibly some other illegal activities. Just like on
the street, where younger and more innocent people get used to run errands and manipulated
to take punishments for crimes they did not commit. The same is done in correctional and
detention facilities. The person who commits the crime becomes the extortionist and holds
the power over the victim who gets used to commit different task to satisfy their attacker.
Men are considered the protectors in society so if they are assaulted, they feel like
they have lost control of their lives. “With PTSD, these feelings are extreme, can cause
you to feel constantly in danger, and make it difficult to function in everyday life.” (Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), n.d.) When victims get released they will most likely
have more trouble adjusting to life with a spouse or girlfriend than men who get released but
were never assaulted or raped. The victim will most likely need anti-anxiety medicine(s) due

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to the PTSD. Yet more reason for someone to feel like they have less control over
themselves and their lives. (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), n.d.)
Revenge is the only emotionally motivated reason for assault and rape. This could be
revenge for a crime the victim committed before or after being incarcerated. It could be
revenge for something they did after their incarceration, and at times they do not know what
they did to deserve the assault or rape. The revenge, could even come later on after the rape
as the victim lashes out as they transfer their hate to someone else. ABC News interviewed
Michael Robtoy, who was in the juvenile system and raped by three individuals. Once
released he went on a crime rampage against homosexual men, and eventually killed one.
(Harris, n.d.) He felt as if he was taking back his manhood which was taken when he was
raped. (Harris, n.d.)
Another way assaults and rape are committed are as currency. They can be
“contracted” just as a government contractor is paid to complete an assigned task. In jails
and prisons sex is used as currency. Some people pay for sexual favors, and the victims are
coerced to participate for “protection.” The protection could be from a gang or an individual.
Either way it is violence that rules their lives. Some people sell themselves for extra food,
drugs, or phone privileges. "If the public is interested in reducing the amount of violent crime in
our society, if the public is interested in its own safety, then it's going to care about this issue,’
says Gilligan. ‘It only endangers us all." (Harris, n.d.)
No matter the reason behind the assault or rape it is a violent crime or at the very least
an emotional crime that destroys the victim. Whether it is a power play to make some do and act
a certain way, to assert control over someone’s thoughts, revenge for previous acts, or as a form
of currency it is still a humiliating act that can cause problems for the victim for years.

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References
Denborough, D. (2005). Prisoner rape support package. Retrieved from Living Well:
http://www.livingwell.org.au/information/prisoner-rape-support-package/
Harris, D. (n.d.). Aftershock of Inmate Rape. Retrieved from ABC News:
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=131108&page=1
Nevid, J., & Rathus, S. (2013). Psychology and the Challenges of Life Adjustment and Growth.
Hoboken: Wiley & Sons.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). (n.d.). Retrieved from Rape, Abuse & Incest National
Network: https://rainn.org/effects-of-sexual-assault/post-traumatic-stress-disorder