This blog post examines the debate on whether rape is the result of biological adaptation or a byproduct of distorted sexuality from a biological, psychological, and social perspective.
When a certain variant (trait) is more suitable for the environment than others in a population with various variants, individuals with such traits are more advantageous for survival. This phenomenon is a form of evolution commonly seen in the natural world. For example, in areas where there are many thorny trees, animals that have evolved thorns as weapons have a higher survival rate. Traits that have adapted to the environment have a significant impact on the survival and reproduction of the individual. If these traits are inherited, they are gradually passed on and become the general characteristics of the group. This is what Darwin referred to as natural selection. Natural selection is one of the core principles of biological evolution and an important concept that explains the process by which organisms adapt to their environment. Scholars call the product of this natural selection “adaptation.”
Thornhill’s “The Natural History of Rape: The Biological Basis of Sexual Coercive Behavior,” a behavioral ecologist, sparked a debate on whether rape is indeed an adaptation. This debate will be divided into two parts. On the one hand, there are those who believe that rape is an adaptation, and on the other hand, there are those who believe that rape is a byproduct of sexual desire. This debate has led to in-depth discussions on various aspects, including human morality, ethics, and social behavior, beyond the issue of biological evolution.
The argument of the adaptiveists is as follows: Rape is committed by men who have difficulty reproducing because the victims are mainly women of childbearing age. Therefore, rape is an adaptive behavior that helps men reproduce more successfully, and is fundamentally a sexual behavior rather than a violent one. Calling rape an adaptation does not mean that it is inevitable or ethically correct. This is only justified when we look at the facts first. They further promote the justification of rape by citing that the male of the insect called the bottom has adapted to have a body structure specialized for rape. In addition to the example of insects, they present various examples of similar behavior in the animal kingdom to strengthen the claim that rape is the result of natural selection.
The anti-adaptivists call the evolutionary biology community that produces too many adaptations “the adaptationist program” and ridicule the adaptationists for seeing everything as an adaptation. They refute Thornhill’s book and the arguments of the adaptationists. They cite the fact that the victims are mostly women of childbearing age, between 12 and 44 years old. They believe this is because outwardly beautiful people are more likely to be targeted. Rape is not a behavior that rapists engage in for the purpose of reproduction. While some sex offenders commit crimes to obtain sexual satisfaction, the main motive for rapists is often not sexual satisfaction. It is more likely that their main motive is to gain dominance and anger. In addition, the book states that 30% of the victims are children under the age of 12, which cannot be explained.
To explain extreme behaviors such as rape, we must go beyond the biological perspective and consider psychological and social factors. Rape offenders often display abnormal psychological states. They have problems such as low self-esteem, distorted thinking about sexuality, and a lack of learning about the boundaries of others. In addition, rapists are broadly classified into four types. First, the violent-oriented type, who want to prove their strength; second, the violent-aggrandizing type, who want to see their victim frightened by the use of violence; third, the anger-retaliation type, who want to vent their feelings of inferiority and anger towards women through violence; and fourth, the anger-excitement type, who enjoy seeing their victim suffer through violence. Based on this, it cannot be concluded that normal men never rape, but it is possible to infer that rapists are not normal. Therefore, it is difficult to see rape as a natural evolutionary outcome for reproduction. To borrow the book’s expression, rape is just a byproduct of sexual desire expressed in a distorted way.
Sexual activity can take many forms. Consensual heterosexual intercourse and masturbation are typical examples. Of these, only a small portion of consensual heterosexual intercourse is for the purpose of reproduction. In this way, rape can be said to be one of its many forms. However, this is a judgment based on only one thing: sexual desire. The sexual act of rape is a side effect of sexual desire, which is caused by various psychological and mental factors.
In response to this, there may be criticism that although rape is an act caused by “sexual desire + α,” the essential purpose is the realization of sexual desire, and the remaining psychological factors are a selection mechanism. However, the remaining psychological factors are not at all helpful for survival. Therefore, even if their claim is correct, the act of rape, which is influenced by these factors, cannot be considered an adaptation. On the contrary, rape has a negative impact on offspring. While it may slightly increase the chances of spreading one’s offspring, especially in this day and age, this does not help one’s line of succession. According to the book “Weird Economics,” legalizing abortion to prevent unwanted children from being born helps to significantly reduce crime rates. Women who become pregnant through rape have unwanted children. Therefore, it is difficult for those children to be raised successfully. This would not be a problem for animals, but humans are clearly different. They do not just need to spread their offspring, but also need to be raised as successful individuals in society. Human society has a complex social structure and norms, so simply aiming for reproduction can backfire. It is difficult to understand the claim that reproduction is the only goal, like in animals.
The debate over whether rape is an evolutionary adaptation shows that it is a complex issue that must go beyond a simple biological perspective and take into account the moral, ethical, and social elements of humans. Therefore, we need to approach these issues from a multifaceted perspective.
