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Asking what before we ask why: taxonomy, etiology, and rape.
1Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois 60661, USA. kbaker@kentlaw.edu
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|July 4, 2003
Summary
This study examines sexual coercion, proposing most acts are either rape (intent to harm) or sex (no intent to harm). Extreme cases of sexual aggression, however, defy easy classification.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Criminology
- Psychology
Background:
- Sexual coercion encompasses a range of behaviors.
- Understanding the social meaning of coercive acts is crucial for classification.
- Existing frameworks struggle to categorize extreme instances of sexual aggression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a spectrum of sexual coercion.
- To analyze the social meaning of different coercive acts.
- To propose a classification system for sexual coercion.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the social meaning of various sexual coercion acts.
- Categorization of coercive acts along a spectrum.
- Examination of the challenges in classifying extreme cases.
Main Results:
- Most sexual coercion acts can be classified as either rape (with intent to harm) or sex (without intent to harm).
- The most and least egregious acts of sexual aggression evade simple classification.
- Extreme acts, readily identified as rape or reluctant to be labeled rape, pose classification challenges.
Conclusions:
- A nuanced understanding of the social context is necessary for classifying sexual coercion.
- The proposed dichotomy of rape versus sex is insufficient for all instances.
- Further research is needed to address the classification of extreme sexual aggression.