rapist profile & warning signs - male & female
Dr. A. Nicholas Groth, author of Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender, described four types of deliberate rapists, based on their motivations and behavior patterns. Forensic scientists, criminologists, and law enforcement agencies often use these profiles to analyze rapists, and prevent future rapes.
Since rapes are predominantly perpetrated by men, a male perpetrator is assumed in these profiles:
- The power-assertive rapist: This is argued to be the most common type of rapist, accounting for about 40 percent of all reported rapes. Wishing to be an alpha male, he tends to value machismo and physical aggression, and often rapes victims that he meets in places like bars, where he may pose as, or be, an authority figure. Power-assertive rapists rarely target specific people for rape and, while not intending to kill their victims, often traumatize and humiliate them.
- The power-reassurance rapist: Responsible for about 27.5% of reported rapes, this type of rapist has been described by law enforcers as the “gentleman rapist”. He is usually:
- of average intelligence;
- not physically aggressive;
- socially-deficient; and
- unable to develop interpersonal or romantic relationships.
Usually, he will select and stalk a victim before committing the crime. The victim is usually someone whom he knows, eg. a neighbor or work acquaintance. Power-reassurance rapists often force the victim to emulate foreplay, and take “trophies” of the rape; they may even record the event in a personal journal. Power-reassurance rapists tend to be the least violent type of rapists, often fantasizing about consensual sexual relationships with women, rather than violent conquests.
- Anger-retaliatory rapist: Responsible for about 28% of rapes, this type of rapist is often a substance abuser, with impulsive behavior and anger-related pathologies. He does not target specific victims, and often feels a general animosity toward the gender of his target. The anger-retaliatory rapist’s attacks are usually spontaneous and brutal, and while he does not intend to kill the victim, he may beat her or him to death if she or he resists. This rapist usually has below-average intelligence, and is likely to leave more evidence than other types of rapists.
- The anger-excitation rapist: This type of rapist, considered the most dangerous and elusive, accounts for about 4.5 percent of rapes. The anger-excitation rapist may or may not choose his victims selectively. Often sadistic, this type of rapist frequently murders his victim to prevent her or him from identifying him, or for his own self-gratification. FBI profilists lists the fourth type as “sexually sadistic rapists.” These rapists are sexual sadists. Only a small percentage of sexual sadists are rapists.
According to John Douglas, the legendary FBI profilist, rapists tend to fall into four basic categories: “power-reassurance rapist” (driven by feelings of inadequacy), the “exploitive” rapist (impulsive driven and overtly macho), the “anger” rapist (who uses sex to displace his rage), and the “sadistic” rapist, who gets aroused from sexual sadism.
Female rapist and abuser profilesCourt TV’s Crime Library lists 6 types of female-male sex offenders based on research by psychiatrist Janet Warren and psychologist Julia Hislop.
- Facilitators - women who intentionally aid men in gaining access to children for sexual purposes.
- Reluctant partners - women in long term relationships who go along with the sexual exploitation of a minor out of fear of being abandoned.
- Initiating partners - women who want to sexually offend against a child and who may do it themselves or get a man or another woman to do it while they watch.
- Seducers and lovers - women who direct their sexual interest against adolescents and develop an intense attachment.
- Pedophiles - women who desire an exclusive and sustained sexual relationship with a child.
- Psychotics - women who suffer from a mental illness and who have inappropriate sexual contact with children as a result.
Warning signs for potential male rapistsIt is very difficult to predict who may or may not be a potential rapist because rapists have many personality types, and use many different methods. However, certain behavioral characteristics have been observed in some rapists. These should be used cautiously as “warning signs”, since non-rapists and other innocent people may also exhibit similar behaviours:
- Extreme emotional insensitivity and egotism;
- Habitual degradation and verbal devaluation of others;
- Tries to tell others what they are feeling and thinking, as though it is his or her decision and not theirs. “S/he said no, but s/he meant yes”;
- Consistently using intimidation in language, or threatening behavior to get his way. Uses words like “bitch” and “whore” to describe women;
- Excessive, chronic, or brooding anger;
- Becoming obsessed with the object of his or her romantic affections, long after his or her advances have been rejected;
- Extreme mood swings;
- Violent outbursts; lack of impulse control;
- Aggressive and violent;
- Cruel behavior, especially under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Scientific research does not support the assumption that rape fantasies are warning signs of a potential rapist. While rapists were almost invariably found to have rape fantasies, they were a very small minority compared to a far larger number of psychologically healthy and normal men who had rape fantasies but did not commit rape. [citation needed]
Warning signs for potential female rapists
According to Network LaRed woman on woman rape and domestic violence abusers exhibit certain behavior, including:
- Violent, negative verbal outbursts, throws objects, violates other’s privacy, steals and/or breaks objects.
- Separating themselves from family in order to avoid jealous behavior.
- Exhibiting behavior that is overly co-dependent in terms of money, and desires a close friend/relative to be dependent of them (or vice versa).
- Not allowing a close friend/relative access to medications or health care.
- Claiming alcohol or drug abuse as an excuse for violent behavior.
- Uses guilt to force others into decisions.
- Humiliates others intentionally.
- Blatant disrespect of personal boundaries.
- Controlling, manipulative behavior.
This behaviour includes, but is not limited to, mothers or care givers who abuse their children.
My wife was repeatedely raped by a power re-assurance rapist for an 8 month period. (Sept 05 thru Apr 06) He thought he was having an affair with her. Like so many rape victims she refused to disclose what was happeneing to her. He is still on the loose somewhere in Alabama. He is an ex-cop, (I don’t know why he was kicked off the police force.)and he stalked her every day. Any woman around him at this time is in grave danger. His name is Travis Mathews. I fear for the woman around him right now. He won’t stop. He is nuts. He fits the profile of a rapist/stalker exactly. Can anyone help.
Tyler
21 Jun 06 at 10:20 pm
Here’s a search on that name in AL:
http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_zaba.php?sname=Travis%20Matthews&state=AL&ref=ref&se=se&doby=&city=&name_style=1
Alt spelling, could be Matthews
http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_zaba.php?sname=Travis%20Matthews&state=AL&ref=ref&se=se&doby=&city=&name_style=1
Good luck, sorry for your experience…
phil
23 Jun 06 at 2:49 am
mail >He is 43 years old. He last worked as a security gaurd in Fred Meyer department store in Issaquah Washington. I understand he is in Alabama now, Montgomery or Mobile. I doubt there is much that can be done, as my wife refuses to prosecute. She is severely traumatized and is in counselling now. I am very concerned that he will do this again. He is a loner and very delusional. He is a full time stalker and rapist. Extremely dangerous.
resist
17 Jul 06 at 9:30 pm
Why does this cunt think all women rapist are into children? Fucking sicko, miles from the truth.
the brown eye
5 Jan 08 at 4:41 am
Oh my gosh, my heart is in my feet right now. I worked with Travis. I do have to say though, that he was never anything but a gentleman around me. He was however moody and depressed much of the time.
Tammy
17 Jan 08 at 4:07 am
what are you trying to say tammy?
propaganda press
17 Jan 08 at 4:38 am
There is a lot more to my story, but I am not willing to post it on a public forum.
Tammy
18 Jan 08 at 12:56 am
tammy no one knows who you are. why not share?
propaganda press
18 Jan 08 at 2:55 am
He would know who I am if he read this. All he has to do is google his name just like I did.
Tammy
18 Jan 08 at 7:12 am
please don’t post your real name on this site if your life could be endangered
propaganda press
18 Jan 08 at 8:00 am
Thank you for the advice. I don’t think that my life is in danger.
Tammy
18 Jan 08 at 4:57 pm
well tammy i dnt want to be mean but u would be an idiot not to think your life is in danger…. i myslf am a rape victim… these men come off as nice men who would never evn think of such a thing…. MY RAPIST WAS A MEMBR OF MY CHURCH…..
joanne
19 Jan 08 at 10:24 am
just the fact that u’d come to this page ‘T’ shows something…. just be careful thats all i can say
joanne
19 Jan 08 at 10:27 am
I think all women no matter what type should always be on the watch. You all never will know a rapist until he or she takes off that mask. Then it will be too late. Never say never and there’s no such thing as being too careful.
dragon
20 Jan 08 at 6:43 pm
The man that raped me was also an ex-cop. I have now learned he was an power assertive rapist. He drugged me one night when we were having drinks, he nearly killed me with all the drugs he put in my drinks. You can never be too careful.
jackie
4 Feb 08 at 8:46 am
jackie what became of him? prison?
propaganda press
4 Feb 08 at 1:08 pm
…so what about the majority of rapists who are rarely caught - i.e. the husbands, partners, boyfriends, fathers, cousins, brothers, grandfathers, etc.?
rickmansworth
28 Aug 08 at 5:46 pm
@rickmansworth -
tell us what you know
resist
20 Oct 08 at 9:20 pm