Rapist Types and Methods of Avoidance

Power Rapists Goal to Humiliate

Power Reassurance (a.k.a. gentleman rapist, opportunity

rapist, compensatory)

Motivation
Insecure
To possess, not harm
Feels inadequacy with women much self-doubt
Restore self-confidence
Confirmation of manhood ensure she enjoyed it
Often done in conjunction with another crime
The Attack
Method of Approach
Blitz
Peeping Toms (to pre-select victim)
Method of Attack
Mainly verbal
Threat of weapon, but often without having one,
and any use of weapon will be one of opportunity
7-15 day cycle (biological clock)
Behavior
Verbal
Often socially awkward
Reassures victims safety
Will often attempt to instigate the victim to talk
dirty to him, but he will rarely speak obscenely
Complimentary
Apologetic/expression of guilt
o I wont hurt you, I just want sex
o I want you to enjoy this, Im sorry, I want
anal sex, grab the lubricant because I dont
want to hurt you too much
o Im sorry I dont know why but I had to
do this, tell me if I hurt you but do as I say
because if you dont it might hurt
o If you cooperate I will be your boyfriend,
you are beautiful
Sexual
Attempts foreplay

Involves victim in sexual activity

Generally does not engage in alternate sexual
practices, and if does, apologize to victim
Often asks the victim to undress herself, like in a
relationship
Low aggression exhibited
Unselfish
Physical
Does not cause unnecessary harm
Relies on threat of weapon for compliance
Modus Operandi (MO)
Non-lethal
Unorganized
Selects victim in advance
Victim in close proximity of rapist
Attack for short period of time; longer with more
compliance
Signature
Contacts victim post attack
Records attack
Takes personal items from victim
Often believes the experience was pleasurable
for the victim
Personal Information
Average education level is 10th grade
Most often single and living with one or both
parents
Few friends and no sex partner
Aggressive and possibly seductive mother
Menial occupation; steady worker
May be a transvestite, voyeuristic, exhibitionist,
fetishist
Interested in pornography
Often unathletic and socially awkward
Methods of Avoidance
Will tend to terminate the rape if victim resists
Most likely of all rapists to be dissuaded if scream, cry,
plead, or fight
Could be dealing with power assertive rapist starting
off with softer approach do not want to upset that
rapist type

Start off with nonviolent tactics crying, pleading,

praying aloud if he becomes verbally abusive, you do
not have a power reassurance rapist
If you can attack his conscience, or his weak point, the
better luck for avoiding the rape
Do not attempt to talk him out of it he will
interpret that as your enjoying it, like in a relationship
you must use more angry and shocking tactics
With this type of rapist, fight; although he will
occasionally have a weapon, it is generally an empty
threat and he will not want to deal with an overly
resistant victim

Power Assertive (a.k.a. entitlement, exploitative, can be a date

rapist)

Motivation
Insecure, but comes across to have no self-doubt
To possess, not harm, but harm often occurs
Feels inadequate with women overactive ego
Restore self-confidence
Confirmation of manhood rapes because he is a man
and entitled to
Express virility and personal dominance
The Attack
Method of Approach
Con
Blitz
Method of Attack
Mainly verbal threats
Control, mastery, humiliation
Force with a weapon, but often only to ensure
cooperation
2025-day cycle
Behavior
Verbal
Often socially competent
Desires little victim interaction; rapists
pleasure in primary
Stereotypically known as macho
Use of obscene language
Explicit sexually; demanding

o I want you on top, play with yourself

o I can give you the wildest sex of your
life
o You have sex written all over your face

Sexual
Goal is capture, conquer, and control
Often repeatedly attacks single victim
Sexually punishes by pulling, pinching, biting
Bondage often employed
Similar with anger retaliatory goal is to
humiliate victim
Selfish
Physical
Moderate to high aggression exhibited
Rips clothing in order to intimidate
Use of force to gain compliance, especially with
resistance
MO
Non-lethal goal, but death can occur due to
brutality employed
Tends to be unorganized as has little control over
impulses, but weaponry planning can show
organization
Victim selected in advance at times, but often
opportunistic
Finds victim often at single bar locations
Selects safe location, victim dependent; often
transports victim to assault location
Signature
Victim held captive during rape
Risky zero respect
Desire to control sexually
Desire to leave victim physically and
emotionally traumatized
Personal Information
69% raised in single-parent family
74% physically abused as a child
High school dropout
Serial marriages has existing consistent sex
partner
Dishonorable discharge from the military

Domestic problems (in attempt to validate macho

image)
Frequents single bars
Image conscious
Masculine type job construction, police officer
Often athletic
Methods of Avoidance
Begging and crying ineffectual
If youre going to resist, scream and fight violently,
but realize that when you do so, they will get more and
more angry
The rapists manhood is in question and to be
aggressive to him is showing that is isnt coming off as
strong or manly enough
Still, compared with other rapist types (because he is
not an anger rapist) trying to escape might be worth it as
the punishment if caught is not generally death
Keep in mind that his goal is to humiliate, not to torture
You must be smart if you try to escape
If you choose to not try to escape, try to anger him as
little as possible to increase your chance of survival

Anger Rapists Goal to Torture

Anger Retaliatory (a.k.a. displaced anger)

o

Motivation
Rage towards one person/punish women expressing his
rage
Often misdirected impulses of hatred toward random
victim
Sometimes in name of politics or religion, but in
general its a crusade to hurt women who have hurt
him
Believes self-importance is most important
The Attack
Method of Approach
Blitz
Method of Attack
Brutal and violent initially, using sex as the
weapon
Weapon (e.g., explosives)

6 monthsyear cycle

Behavior
Verbal
Selfish
Not negotiable
Blames victim for their unfortunate life
Extremely angry; displaces anger onto victim
Obscene language
o This is what is going to happen if you
ever think about leaving me
o I will kill your new boyfriend
o Where is your boyfriend now?
Sexual
No foreplay
Selfish
Violent extension of physical attack
Forces acts to humiliate victim This rapist
may rape his victim anally and then force her to
perform oral sex on him immediately afterward.
Following oral sex, he may ejaculate on her face
in a further attempt to degrade her
Physical
Rips clothing
Prepares for the rape (dressing in military
fatigues, police uniform)
Excessive brutality much injury
MO
Often lethal
Tends to be unorganized, but is organized in
process
Stranger attack; unplanned and emotional
Victim population planned; symbolizes
whom/what offender hates
Seeks women of his own race and age group,
sometimes older
Depending on level of organization, weaponry
can be extensive
Signature
Offender sees their own life as a message to
others

Attack is short and emotional; experiences

satisfaction once anger discharged
Short period of time diffuses anger and
escapes, generally leaving body if victim is killed
Personal Information
On average, completed 9th grade education
Physical harm before sexual harm
Often drug/alcohol abuser
Socially competent; likely to be married and
does not assault wife
Tends to be an adulterer
Comes from unhealthy home, with more than
half having been abused by parents.
80% come from a divorced home; more than half
spent time in foster care
Athletic and masculine self-image
Methods of Avoidance
Any resistance may enrage him
Not looking to kill you, but the beating could be fatal
more so than either of the power rapists
Do not challenge or enrage try to escape or
incapacitate rapist
If not trying to escape, try to limit the level of violence
Pick a path and stick with it either try to outsmart the
rapist or be highly compliant. The reasoning for this is
that that the rapist is of such a violent nature and has a
low frequency of between crimes, so the anger he
possesses resembles someone else to him and tends to
be highly volatile. A victim must choose her path
cautiously and must not act on a whim because he will
have zero tolerance for erratic behavior.

Anger Excitation (a.k.a. sadistic)

o

Motivation
Sexual gratification from victims suffering
Control, physical aggression, torture
Often similar victims, reflecting something the rapist
wants to destroy
Sexual-aggressive fantasies
To inflict physical and psychological pain on victims
with the goal to kill the victims

The Attack
Method of Approach
Con
Method of Attack
Physical force
Weapons (e.g., rape kit)
Difficult to predict, but those with a pattern show
a 30-day cycle
Behavior
Verbal
Initially charming and intelligent
Gains trust through planned con
Hostile language more than profane language
Extreme mood swings during encounter, if long
encounter
Demands to be called certain names during
attack (usually to establish
dominancesubmission relationship)
Asks victim if inflicting pain for selfgratification
Humiliates through torture; professing victims
meaninglessness
o Keep your voice down or I will kill
you
o Youre going to earn it you bitch, stop
your whining, if you dont shut up Ive
got a knife
o Shut up bitch, dont move and it will
not hurt
o Do you like that, bitch?
Sexual
Owns extensive pornography collection,
typically involving bondage
Excited by victims emotional/physical pain
Rehearses, possibly with compliant victim
Bondage usage; bizarre ritualistic quality
Insertion of objects into vagina/penis/anus, often
no usage of perpetrators digit; biting
whatever will cause the most pain
Rough anal sex followed by oral sex is common
Records attack videos, photographs, journals

Souvenirs of types panties, jewelry

Selfish
Physical
Tie, gag, blindfold less to control but to terrify
Brutal and prolonged pain over long period of
time
Fetishes body parts mutilated (e.g.,
necrophilia)
Injury increases with anger
MO
Lethal
Organized
Opportunistic in victim selection
Authority positions; easily trusted
Plans all details (con, pick-up, attack in comfort
zone, disposal)
Methodically murdered highly ritualistic
Victim type vulnerable, seducible,
nonaggressive, low self-esteem
Aggression increases with each attack
Disposes of victim (this is the offender type most
likely to hide the victims body)
Signature
Special instruments to attack
Sexual aspect predominant eroticized sex and
violence
Portrays themselves as caring
Victim always a stranger
Long attack, ranging from hours to days
Rapist often mildly intoxicated during act
Personal Information
Often will lead a secret life married, middleclass family man, white-collar occupation, etc.
Intellectual some college education
Drugs/alcohol commonly present
Often have antisocial personalities
Aggressive in everyday life (job type, etc.)
often obsessive-compulsive
More than half were raised in single-parent home
More than half have divorced parents

More than were physically abused

May have been raised in sexually deviant home

Methods of Avoidance
Most criminally sophisticated
Escape or resistance is generally out of question
If tied up, you will have to attempt to match wits with
the rapist and attempt to trick him to untie you to have
some chance of escape
Injury increases with his heightened anger, so you must
resist cleverly.
If you are lucky enough to not be unconscious from the
start, you must attempt anything to try to avoid his anger
Murder is generally the end result you must do what
you can to escape somehow. Do not give in.

References
Holmes, R. M., & Holmes, S. T. (2002). Psychological profiling and rape.
In R. M. Holmes, & S. T. Holmes, Profiling violent crimes: An investigative
tool (3rd ed.). (pp. 139157). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Ressler, R. K., Burgess, A. W., & Douglas, J. E. (2004). Rape and rape
murder; one offender and twelve victims. In J. H. Campbell
& D. DeNevi (Eds.), Profilers: Leading investigators take you inside the
criminal mind (pp. 123132). Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.