Rapist Profiles

Overview: Serial Rapist Profiles

The anger-excitation or sadistic rapist enjoys witnessing the pain and suffering of victims. Some rapists select their victims to inflict pain and prefer penetrating the psyche. These rapists' gratification is found in the victims' pain, trauma, and terror response. Planning the emotional pain of the victim is most important and provides heightened sexual stimulation.

Anger-retaliatory or power assertive rapists have considerable anger and rage. Their victims will experience heightened forms of violence; some may even die. This is particularly the case when the rapist attempts to escape detection, arrest, and conviction. The physical attack is immediate, vengeful, and forceful. The need to dominate is a primary motive.

Power-assertive or exploitative rapists are self-centered and narcissistic, having little respect for the rights of others. The power-assertive rapist needs to dominate and have power and control over victims. To this rapist, women are toys, designed to meet power, control, and sexual needs.

Power-assurance (compensatory) rapists are less dangerous than are those who fit other profiles. Their fantasy is that the victim will respond to their sexual overtures. However, victims are subject to adverse stress reactions, regardless of the amount of violence, force, and trauma. Rape trauma syndrome (RTS), a related subset of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is a possible reaction with rape victimization of men and women.

Each profile is dangerous in its own way; however, the excitation or sadistic rapist is most likely to apply torture and trauma and to kill innocent victims. Rapists can turn to homicide to cover up their crimes and avoid prosecution. In the following section, rapist profiles are presented according to the level of violence and trauma inflicted on the victim.