By Muhammad Ameen Phulpoto
A wise person once said, “Silence becomes cowardice when the occasion demands speaking out.” Yet, in the face of sexual violence, silence is far too common. According to UNICEF, 120 million girls under the age of 20 worldwide have experienced forced sexual acts. Many survivors carry untold stories of pain, survival and resilience. Beneath these stories, however, lies a question that society seldom dares to confront: why do men rape? Understanding a rapist’s motivations and thought processes is rarely discussed, yet it is crucial if we hope to address the root causes of sexual violence. In the aftermath of high-profile cases, such as the PGC rape case in Pakistan, the public conversation has largely focused on two points: how to punish the accused and how women can prevent assaults.
In Pakistan, attention is overwhelmingly directed toward the victim rather than the perpetrator. As one journalist studying the psychology of violence put it: “If you really don’t understand the offender, you are never going to understand sexual violence.” Consider the common observations made by researchers. After any rape case, rapists are often labelled as monsters or animals. Yet interviews with perpetrators reveal something unsettling: many sound like normal people. Even during conversation, they may appear apologetic—not for the harm they have caused, but for other considerations, such as social consequences. Understanding this does not justify their crimes. It is, rather, essential to addressing the epidemic of sexual violence.
Another observation is that many rapists show little or no remorse. Studies reveal that they often fail to comprehend the gravity of their actions, instead blaming the victims or creating alternate realities to rationalize their behavior—a psychological phenomenon known as cognitive dissonance. One 49-year-old man who raped a five-year-old girl stated in an interview that “the victim provoked me… she and her mother had a questionable character… so I thought I’d teach her a lesson.” His regret, when expressed, concerned not the assault itself but the perceived damage to the victim’s honor: “Yes, I feel bad; I ruined her life. Now she is no longer a virgin, no one would marry her… I will marry her when I come out of jail.” Such statements reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of consent and the nature of rape.
Researchers suggest that rapist motivations fall into two broad categories: biological and cultural. Biological or evolutionary theory posits that rape is, in some sense, a reproductive strategy, a means by which men ensure the continuation of their genetic material. Yet, as one expert notes, “Our evolutionary legacy shapes us, but we have choices about how we live.” Cultural or societal theory argues that sexual violence arises from social constructs, power dynamics and learned behavior. In other words, rape is not a crime of passion but of control. While biological theory cannot fully explain why rape is common in some countries and rare in others, cultural theory fills this gap. Both perspectives, together, help explain the different types of offenders, from opportunistic rapists who act under particular circumstances to specialized offenders who derive gratification from violence.
If we understand the psychology of rapists, the next question arises: what should be done to prevent these crimes? Some argue in favor of the death penalty. Yet capital punishment is a deeply flawed solution for several reasons. Research shows that it is not an effective deterrent. Criminals are more influenced by the likelihood of being caught than by the severity of the punishment. Societal pressures on victims also increase, particularly because the majority of rape cases involve someone the victim knows. Capital punishment may even endanger victims further; a perpetrator facing death has little incentive to spare the life of a survivor. And finally, calls for mob justice, even from prominent voices, threaten the principles of due process and mature democracy. Cases of wrongful accusation, such as a 7-year-old boy’s murder in India initially attributed to an innocent conductor, demonstrate the lethal consequences of bypassing trials.
The responsibility does not lie solely with the legal system. Education, media, law enforcement, female employment, and societal gender roles all play critical roles in shaping attitudes toward sexual violence. Rapists do not emerge from nowhere; they live in the societies we create. While we cannot transform social norms overnight, awareness, accountability, and collective action can begin to make a difference. There is a universal truth across all countries, cultures and communities: violence against women is never acceptable, never excusable, and never tolerable. Addressing the problem requires more than punishment—it demands understanding, prevention and a commitment to creating a society in which women are safe, respected and free from fear.
(The writer is a university student and keen to express views on social norms, can be reached at editorial@metro-morning.com)
