What Support? Foucault, Power, and the Construction of Rape

Aliraza Javaid

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.15.1.02

Authors

Aliraza Javaid University of East London, UK

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.15.1.02

Keywords:

Voluntary Agencies, Surveillance, Subjectivity, Victim Blame, Stigma

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the social and cultural constructions of male rape in voluntary agencies, England. Using sociological, cultural, and post-structural theoretical frameworks, mainly the works of Foucault, I demonstrate the ways in which male rape is constructed and reconstructed in such agencies. Social and power relations, social structures, and time and place shape their discourses, cultures, and constructions pertaining to male rape. This means that constructions of male rape are neither fixed, determined, nor unchanging at any time and place, but rather negotiated and fluid. I theorize the data—which was collected through semi-structured interviews and qualitative questionnaires—including male rape counselors, therapists, and voluntary agency caseworkers. The theoretical and conceptual underpinnings that frame and elucidate the data contribute to sociological understandings of male rape.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Aliraza Javaid, University of East London, UK

Aliraza Javaid has a BSc (Hons) Criminology, an MSc Clinical Criminology, an MRes Social Sciences, and has completed his PhD in Sociology and Social Policy. His research interests are gender, sexualities, masculinities, police and policing, sexual violence, the sociology of “evil,” and the sociology of love. His first sole-authored book, which is entitled Male Rape, Masculinities, and Sexualities: Understanding, Policing, and Overcoming Male Sexual Victimisation, has been published by Palgrave (2018). His second sole-authored book, entitled Masculinities, Sexualities, and Love, is published by Routledge (2018). His other publications around his research interests can be found here: https://alirazajavaid.wordpress.com/publications-2/ .

References

Abdullah-Khan, Noreen. 2008. Male Rape: The Emergence of a Social and Legal Issue. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230227651

Apperley, Harry. 2015. “Hidden Victims: A Call to Action on Sexual Violence against Men in Conflict.” Medicine, Conflict and Survival 31(2):92-99.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13623699.2015.1060575

Becker, Howard S. 1963. Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York: Free Press.
Google Scholar

Braun, Virginia and Victoria Clarke. 2006. “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology.” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3(2):77-101.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Butler, Judith. 1990. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Carpenter, Simon. 2009. The Psychological Effects of Male Rape. Retrieved June 09, 2014 (http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counselloradvice9907.html).
Google Scholar

Cohen, Claire. 2014. Male Rape Is a Feminist Issue: Feminism, Governmentality, and Male Rape. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137035103

Cohen, Stanley. 2002. Folk Devils and Moral Panics. London, New York: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Connell, Raewyn W. 2005. Masculinities. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Google Scholar

Christie, Nils. 1986. “The Ideal Victim.” Pp. 17-30 in From Crime Policy to Victim Policy, edited by E. A. Fattah. London: Tavistock.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08305-3_2

Clark, Janine N. 2014. “A Crime of Identity: Rape and Its Neglected Victims.” Journal of Human Rights 13(2):146-169.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14754835.2014.886952

Donnelly, Denise and Stacy Kenyon. 1996. ‘“Honey We Don’t Do Men’: Gender Stereotypes and the Provision of Services to Sexually Assaulted Males.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 11(3):441-448.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/088626096011003009

Foucault, Michel. 1972. The Archaeology of Knowledge. London: Tavistock.
Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel. 1977. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. London: Penguin.
Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel. 1978. The History of Sexuality (Vol. 1). New York: Random House.
Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel. 1980. Power/Knowledge. New York: Vintage.
Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel. 1982. “The Subject and Power.” Pp. 208-226 in Michel Foucault, edited by H. L. Dreyfus and P. Rabinow. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Google Scholar

Foucault, Michel. 1991. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. London: Penguin.
Google Scholar

Goffman, Erving. 1959. Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Anchor Books.
Google Scholar

Goffman, Erving. 1963. Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
Google Scholar

HM Government. 2011. Call to End Violence against Women and Girls. London: Home Office.
Google Scholar

Home Office. 2007. Cross-Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence and Abuse. London: Home Office.
Google Scholar

Home Office. 2010. Interim Government Response to the Stern Review. London: Government Equalities Office, Home Office. Retrieved June 29, 2014 (http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100418065537/http://equalities.gov.uk/pdf/Response_to_Stern_finalWeb.pdf).
Google Scholar

Jackson, Stevi. 2005. “Sexuality, Heterosexuality, and Gender Hierarchy: Getting Our Priorities Straight.” Pp. 15-37 in Thinking Straight: The Power, the Promise, and the Paradox of Heterosexuality, edited by C. Ingraham. London, New York: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Javaid, Aliraza. 2015. “The Dark Side of Men: The Nature of Masculinity and Its Uneasy Relationship with Male Rape.” Journal of Men’s Studies 23(3):271-292.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1060826515600656

Javaid, Aliraza. 2016a. “Voluntary Agencies’ Responses to and Attitudes toward Male Rape: Issues and Concerns.” Sexuality & Culture 20(3):731-748.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-016-9348-z

Javaid, Aliraza. 2016b. “Male Rape, Stereotypes, and Unmet Needs: Hindering Recovery, Perpetuating Silence.” Violence and Gender 3(1):7-13.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/vio.2015.0039

Javaid, Aliraza. 2017a. Male Rape, Masculinities, and Sexualities: Understanding, Policing, and Overcoming Male Sexual Victimisation. Hampshire: Palgrave.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52639-3

Javaid, Aliraza. 2017b. “Masculinities, Sexualities and Identities: Understanding HIV Positive and HIV Negative Male Rape Victims.” International Sociology 32(3):323-342.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0268580917696387

Javaid, Aliraza. 2017c. “Making the Invisible Visible: (Un)Meeting Male Rape Victims’ Needs in the Third Sector.” Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research 9(2):106-115.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-08-2016-0248

Javaid, Aliraza. 2018. Masculinities, Sexualities and Love. London: Routledge.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351212717

Kassing, Leslee R. and Loreto R. Prieto. 2003. “The Rape Myth and Blame-Based Beliefs of Counselors-in-Training Toward Male Victims of Rape.” Journal of Counseling and Development 81:455-461.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2003.tb00272.x

King, M. 1995. “Sexual Assaults on Men: Assessment and Management.” British Journal of Hospital Medicine 53(6):245-246.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-5177(95)91467-V

Lowe, Michelle and Bob Balfour. 2015. “The Unheard Victims.” The Psychologist 28(2):118-121.
Google Scholar

Ministry of Justice. 2014a. New Support for Male Rape and Sexual Violence Victims. London: HMSO.
Google Scholar

Ministry of Justice. 2014b. £500,000 to Help Break the Silence for Male Rape Victims. London: HMSO.
Google Scholar

Monk-Turner, Elizabeth and David Light. 2010. “Male Sexual Assault and Rape: Who Seeks Counselling?’ Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment 22(3):255-265.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1079063210366271

O’Brien, Carol, Jessica Keith, and Lisa Shoemaker. 2015. “Don’t Tell: Military Culture and Male Rape.” Psychological Services 12(4):357-365.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000049

Pitfield, Catherine. 2013. Male Survivors of Sexual Assault: To Tell or Not to Tell? PhD Thesis. Retrieved November 16, 2018 ( http://roar.uel.ac.uk/3442/ ).
Google Scholar

Plummer, Kenneth. 1975. Sexual Stigma. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Google Scholar

Plummer, Kenneth. 1995. Telling Sexual Stories: Power, Change and Social Worlds. London, New York: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Plummer, Kenneth. 2015. Cosmopolitan Sexualities: Hope and the Humanist Imagination. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Google Scholar

Rock, Paul. 2002. “On Becoming a Victim.” Pp. 1-22 in New Visions of Crime Victims, edited by C. Hoyle and R. Young. Oxford: Hart Publishing.
Google Scholar

Rumney, Philip. 2009. “Gay Male Rape Victims: Law Enforcement, Social Attitudes and Barriers to Recognition.” The International Journal of Human Rights 13(2):233-250.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13642980902758135

Sepler, F. 1990. “Victim Advocacy and Young Male Victims of Sexual Abuse: An Evolutionary Model.” Pp. 73-85 in The Sexually Abused Male, Vol. 1: Prevalence, Impact, and Treatment, edited by M. Hunter. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Google Scholar

Stern, Vivien. 2010. The Stern Review. London: Government Equalities Office, Home Office. Retrieved June 26, 2014 (http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110608160754/http:/www.equalities.gov.uk/PDF/Stern_Review_acc_FINAL.pdf).
Google Scholar

Turchik, Jessica A. and K. M. Edwards. 2012. “Myths about Male Rape: A Literature Review.” Psychology of Men & Masculinity 13(2):211-226.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023207

Vearnals, Simon and Tomás Campbell. 2001. “Male Victims of Male Sexual Assault: A Review of Psychological Consequences and Treatment.” Sexual and Relationship Therapy 16(3):279-286.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14681990123228

Walker, Jayne, John Archer, and Michelle Davies. 2005. “Effects of Rape on Men: A Descriptive Analysis.” Archives of Sexual Behavior 34(1):69-80.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-005-1001-0

Washington, Patricia. 1999. “Second Assault of Male Survivors of Sexual Violence.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 14 (7):713-730.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/088626099014007003

Weeks, Jeffrey. 2016. What Is Sexual History? Cambridge: Polity Press.
Google Scholar

Weiss, Karen G. 2010. “Male Sexual Victimization: Examining Men’s Experiences of Rape and Sexual Assault.” Men and Masculinities 12(3):275-298.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X08322632