Three perspectives on police investigations into male rape. Victims, victim advocates and police
Research project
There is only scarce knowledge about male rape. Even though men are less likely to become victimized, male rape constitutes a significant social problem. The international literature suggests that male rape victims largely suffer the same psychological, sexual, interpersonal and physical consequences as women.
There is only scarce knowledge about male rape. The international literature suggests that male rape victims largely suffer the same psychological, sexual, interpersonal and physical consequences as women. The police plays a major role in how rape victims experience crisis, but also in finding and convicting the perpetrators. The proposed project investigates how the Swedish police investigates male rape. 1) How are police investigations carried out? 2) How do police officers communicate with rape victims? 3) What are the consequences of police work on part of male rape victims? Two types of data are gathered: a) the written documentation from police investigations, and b) interviews with crime victims, crime advocates and police offices with experience from male rape cases.
Project overview
Project period:
2016-01-01 –
2019-12-31
Funding
Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, 2016-2018: SEK 2,130,000
Participating departments and units at Umeå University
There is only scarce knowledge about male rape. Even though men are less likely to become victimized, male rape constitutes a significant social problem. The international literature suggests that male rape victims largely suffer the same psychological, sexual, interpersonal and physical consequences as women.
The police plays a major role in how rape victims experience crisis, but also in finding and convicting the perpetrators. There is currently an intense debate about how the police contributes to secondary victimization and fails to solve rape cases with female victims. Several studies indicate that the investigation of male rape partly requires different approaches. No Swedish research exists on this topic, although the Swedish National Police Agency has proclaimed a need to improve the routines and the training for the investigation of sexual offences.
The proposed project investigates how the Swedish police investigates male rape. Two types of data are gathered: a) the written documentation from police investigations, and b) interviews with crime victims, crime advocates and police offices with experience from male rape cases. 1) How are police investigations carried out? 2) How do police officers communicate with rape victims? 3) What are the consequences of police work on part of male rape victims?
The project rests upon the assumption that cultural understandings of male rape impact on how the police carries out its work. Views on victims, sexuality and gender thus become central to how the police interacts with and investigates male rape. These questions are put into the broader context of rape against women.
Results from the project are relevant for the police in developing methods for investigating sexual offenses, and male rape in particular. Moreover they feed into discussions about future redistribution of resources within the police and reforms of legislation.
