ipl-logo

Evolutionary Theory Of Sexual Coercion

607 Words3 Pages

Evolutionary Theory
Evolutionary theories of sexual coercion considers the possibility that current psychological attributes are formed over evolutionary time, because they provided solutions to environmental problems faced by our ancestors (Thornhill & Palmer, 2001). Sexual coercion tactics are believed to be one such set of evolved mechanisms (Turchik et al., 2016). The central claim of this theory is that sexually coercive behaviour is due to sexual motivation rather than males’ need for power over women. Evolutionary theory provides three possible alternative explanations for sexually coercive behaviour. These are Life History theory (LH), Competitively Disadvantaged Male theory (CDM) and Sexual Coercion as a By-Product theory (SCB) (Gladden …show more content…

Thus, LH proposes, that due to limited time and energy, individuals divided their energy in terms of costs and benefits. Example trade-offs include resources for continued survival versus resources devoted to producing offspring, parental effort versus mating effort and quality versus quantity of offspring (Glenn et al., 2011). LH posits that behaviour is predicated on whether an individual has a high LH strategy or a low LH strategy. For instance, individuals with slow LH strategies have a tendency to have secure attachments, supportive family and friends and a “psychological disposition for long-term planning and long-term mating “(Glenn et al., 2011, p.373). ). In contrast, individuals with faster LH strategies are associated with personality traits such as a preference for casual sex as opposed to emotional bonding, with having many sexual partners and general aggressiveness (Figueredo et al., 2006). According to LH theory, there is evidence to suggest that sexually coercive behaviour may be related to other forms of anti-social behaviours in individual men, including a predisposition towards a lack of conventional morality and respect for authority (Glenn et al., …show more content…

This hypothesis proposes that sexual assaults may have evolved from selection pressure as a consequence of a female’s ability to choose (Thornhill & Palmer, 2001). For example, males tend to have a stronger sex drive than females and a tendency to be much more indiscriminate in mate preferences and willingness to engage in casual sex compared to females (Felson & Cundiff, 2014). In contrast, women place more time and investment selecting a mate with whom they can together be responsible for their children. These strong differences in the tendencies of male and female sexuality can generate a conflict of interest with regard to contemporary sexual behaviour.

Show More
Related

  • Missoul Rape And The Justice System In College Town By Jon Krakauer

    1698 Words  | 7 Pages

    Rape myths are at the center of the problem of how rape and sexual assault cases are looked at, and treated as in society. Rape myths vary, some excuse the rape, others try to minimize the severity of the situation, while others doubt the act even happened in the first place (Levit and Verchick, 196). Some examples of rape myths include: a victim was “asking for it,” a victim’s previous sexual history, regretful sex is not rape, a woman’s “no” means “yes,” and women lie about rape all the time. Rape myths are targeted towards women, not the rapist. Despite, rape myths being proved false by empirical evidence, they are still prevalent in society.

    Read More

  • Macdonald Triad Essay

    848 Words  | 4 Pages

    While sexual motives are often involved, a control fantasy can be another motive that works with the sexual fantasy. Sexual assault is used as a tool by serial killers to humiliate, degrade, and subject the victim (“Serial Murder”). The offender, who often has a history of being abused themselves, finally feels like they are the dominant one in the situation. They have achieved the ultimate control over a human being by taking away all that is personal, private,

    Read More

  • Domestic Violence In 'No Visible Bruises'

    1557 Words  | 7 Pages

    Throughout this program, you see how easy it is for abusers to manipulate their victims with just words and blame. On page 115, the book talks about how men are proud of their masculinity and like to brag to their friends about abusing women. This can also correlate to masculinity and how if they show other men, they have control of women they look more powerful and “are owed

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Unnatural Lottery By Claudia Card

    1300 Words  | 6 Pages

    To many individuals, sexual predators are stereotyped as “weirdos lurking in the bushes” or as stalkers of “women who walk alone” (106). From a critic’s perspective, it seems as if Card has overemphasized her allegation that rape is an institution. Here, Card is making the aggregate of rape cases into something that it is not. According to Card’s definition of an institution, there are “rules that establish roles and positions” as well as the “distribut[ion] of responsibilities and opportunities” (100). However, rapists and sexual predators do not have a set rulebook that they follow, nor do the rapists have a duty to carry out.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

    884 Words  | 4 Pages

    MNCASA, an organization who allies with other programs to prevent sexual assault based in Minnesota, suggests that, “In 2005-10, females, age 34 or younger, who lived in lower income households, and who lived in rural areas experienced some of the highest rates of sexual violence.” This offers that women with less stable lifestyles, are affected more by this problem. This proves that background can have to do with the decisions of the victim that lead to sexual assault. This got me thinking about how the specific roles of the victim and the perpetrator can vary from case to case. For instance, the victim and perpetrator may have known each other for awhile, and the victims bad decisions could have led to sexual assault, but on the other hand, the victim could not have any part in the assault, and it wasn’t always the victims fault at all.

    Read More

  • Common Decency Susan Jacoby

    1787 Words  | 8 Pages

    ‘Common Decency’ written by Susan Jacoby, an American author, was originally published in the New York Times in April 1991. The main idea of Jacoby’s essay “Common Decency “ which was a written response to Camille Pagalia’s book “Sexual Personae “deals with the controversy over “date rape” and mixed signals between men and women. According to Jacoby, “Most date rapes do not happen because a man honestly mistakes a woman’s “no” for “yes” or a “maybe”. They occur because a minority of men –an ugly minority, to be sure –can’t stand to take “no” for an answer” (585). In her thesis, the author is stating that there is no such thing as accidental rape and the only reason it happens is because a few men act out violently when they are rejected.

    Read More

  • Why Is Non Consensual Sex In Marriage Be Rape

    974 Words  | 4 Pages

    Non-consensual sex neglects one’s age or marital status. Thus, substantial investigation on the issue has accumulated much support for the view that non-consensual sex even in marriage, is deemed to be a rape offense. On the contrary, numerous countries around the world have societal norms that support the perception that marriage gives men the right to have sex with their wives; and for this reason, non-sensual sex in marriage is not considered to be rape. Even so, this does not invalidate the fact that engaging in sexual intercourse without one’s consent is considered rape regardless of marital status.

    Read More

  • Primate: A Feminist Argumentative Analysis

    951 Words  | 4 Pages

    In fact, sexual dimorphism and male dominance is not present in all species of non-human primates, but there is a heavy vulnerability of the female coercion when they are separated from their social, support system. For example, in the Ape community females are dispersed from the places they were born, as adults and have no relatives to protect them which leads them to being dominated by a Silverback Gorilla and their already dependent infants would be killed to create estrus (11). Another key perspective is the differences between female and male mating behaviors and the presence of sexual dimorphism and hierarchies. For instance, in many non-human primate communities during the period of female fertility she begins to be dominated frequently by moments of aggression by males because of her smaller size, which can cause severe wounding or sometimes death if she is seen associating with lower-ranked males, versus the times when she is not sexually receptive. Surprisingly, this evidence alone has potential links between aggression and sex in human society; in accordance, with the initiative behind why there are higher rates of males raping, abusing, or even overpowering females habitually

    Read More

  • Turchik Myths About Male Rape Summary

    1701 Words  | 7 Pages

    Turchik’s article Myths About Male Rape: A Literature Review explores the ways in which mainstream media has satirized male rape and inadvertently created several myths concerning the topic that are widely regarded to be true today. The article further examines how the media promotes heavily stereotyped views of male rape with male rape exclusive to certain people and occurring only in certain areas. Further discussed is the idea that male rape is often depicted as a humorous topic in mainstream media which further promotes male rape ideologies and encouraging the belief that male rape is a humorous topic and something that can and should be taken lightly. Furthermore, Turchik discusses how awareness towards male rape in the media has increased, however, coverage largely portrays stereotypical views of male rape, male rape as consensual rather than forceful, male rape as an exclusive issue towards homosexuals and alleged male victims as liars. The hypothesis as well as the findings provide a solid foundation to my literature review as they provide proof that the acceptance of male rape myths is a very common trend among the general public, media and law

    Read More

  • Feminist Theory Of Domestic Violence

    1232 Words  | 5 Pages

    This theory chiefly focuses on that men are aggressive and use force throughout their lives. Which came from a patriarchy social system we had in place which held men in power in every aspect of life, from women and children, political power, control of property to the moral authority. Also, some patriarchy religious ideology love to take certain biblical verses and misused them ,and take them out of context. This promotes a model of power and control of the women and children in certain relationships , which manifest into domestic abuse (Pence & Paymar, 1993).

    Read More

  • Rape Culture In The Scarlet Letter

    1547 Words  | 7 Pages

    Rape and sexual assault does not only occur in the ancient times of The Scarlet Letter but is extremely prevalent in today’s society and is normalized through the depiction of rape culture presented in the media. In today’s society, it is imperative to address the rape culture that is being cultivated by the objectification of women, normalization of violence against them, and the recurring victimization of the victim because it leaves men confused in their relationships with women and women feeling disempowered and violated. One of the initial causes of rape culture is the way in which women are being objectified by men and the media as it creates a society that disregards women’s rights and safety. From a very young age, men are encouraged to believe that all women are property because of the media.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Alan H. Goldman's 'Plain Sex'

    1425 Words  | 6 Pages

    Inside and beyond the myth and the social impact of the subject as One or Substance. Alan H. Goldman’s essay ‘Plain Sex’ is a central contribution to the academic debate about sex within the analytic area, which has been developing since the second half of the ‘90s in Western countries. Goldman’s purpose is encouraging debate on the concept of sex without moral, social and cultural implications or superstitious superstructures. He attempts to define “sexual desire” and “sexual activity” in its simplest terms, by discovering the common factor of all sexual events, i.e. “the desire for physical contact with another person’s body and for the pleasure which such contact produces; sexual activity is activity which tends to fulfill such desire of the agent” (Goldman, A., 1977, p 40).

    Read More

  • The Golden Ass: An Analysis

    824 Words  | 4 Pages

    A gun is not always needed in order to be in control. In The Golden Ass, the act of sex gives women power over men in the form of coercion and domination. In the book, women are commonly the one initiating the act. A majority of the time they are even made to be the one taking multiple lovers while their husband remains in the dark. These actions are a way for the women to gain some control in their patriarchal society.

    Read More

  • Sex Offending Theory

    580 Words  | 3 Pages

    This theory applied to female sex offending can be criticised as there is a considerable amount of offenders who were not victims of sex crimes and decided to engage in the behaviour. Feminist approaches are particularly taken into account and have provided great contribution for the understanding of this topic. This topic particularly challenging for these theorists as women were excluded as sexual perpetrators for several years. They stipulate that sexual abuse is an outlet for the oppression and sexual exploitation women have suffered over the years (Lorber, 2001). Through exercising their power over another person, women are regaining control over the male-dominated culture.

    Read More

  • Male Rape Literature Review

    1396 Words  | 6 Pages

    The aim of this literature is to critically evaluate and analyse the given theoretical case history of Michael, seeking therapy due to precipitated post-traumatic crisis, linking to rape trauma endured twenty years ago. Relevant materials identifying difference of female rape to male rape, social myths, prevalence rates, factors preventing reporting, lacking support system, empirical research, and the long-term psychological effects, requires in-depth understanding of male rape trauma to establish an appropriate therapeutic approach. Literature Review Prevalence of negative attitude towards male rape differ from western and eastern countries, ranging at 18.3% (United Kingdom) to 29.5% (Canada) and 32.9% (Hong Kong) to 51.5% (Malaysia) Ward,

    Read More

More about Evolutionary Theory Of Sexual Coercion

Open Document