Customer Reviews

Men Who Rape: The Psychology Of The Offender

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Although Dr. Groth wrote Men Who Rape in 1979, it has remained the definitive source for information about male sex offenders for all these years. Here he dispels myths about rape through careful documentation, delineates his basic and enduring classification of rape, and explains the psychological dynamics that drive each offender: the Power Rapist, the Anger Rapist, and the Sadistic Rapist. Professionals working with sex offenders, as well as victims of sexual abuse and those trying to help them, need to understand these basic concepts.

Any mental health professional working in the area of sexual abuse of children or adults should be thoroughly familiar with this book, now once again in print and available in paperback. Its academic style makes it difficult for the general public to read easily, but well educated non-professionals will find it worthwhile. In my own work with sexual abuse victims I draw heavily on this resource to help them answer the question, "Why did he rape me?"

-Dr. Lynn Daugherty, Bestselling Author of the Award Winning Classic Why Me? Help for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse (Even if they are adults now), Fourth Edition

This text stands above most others in providing a depth, an intimacy, and a science to the perplexing question of men who rape. It even suggests, against all pc correctness, that men may also be victims of tragic circumstances that lead to their criminal acts. Provides good science, with little politics.

Men Who Rape, though it was written in the 70s, is still a very important work. It covers victims issues and rapist motivational typologies through thoughtful case studies and interpretations. It provided the basis for the FBI serial Rapist Motivational Typologies explored further by Burgess and Hazelwood, and also covers myth and social issues. I use this book to teach on online Rape issues course and really can't think of a work that more competently gets into myths and psychodynamics behind rape behavior better. Even now, twenty years later. Still timely, still useful. Brent E. Turvey, MS, Criminal Profiler, Knowledge Solutions

This book constitutes the best text in its field, providing a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamics of sexual assault on the part of the offender. It has stood the test of time, having been in print for over twenty years, and remains as relevant today as the day it was written. [It will be reissued in a paperback format by Perseus in December 2001.] MEN WHO RAPE is essential reading for everyone whose work brings them into contact with victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse. It remains the classic text on the psychodymanics of rape.

I work in a prison based sex offender treatment program. I provide court mandated individual and group treatment to offenders in the last 18 months of their sentences. Until recently the majority of my clients have offended against children; however, I was recently assigned 2 rapists whose victims were adults. My supervisor recommended Men Who Rape as a jump-start text for addressing these clients' needs.

The text is very useful in that is provides general classifications for the major types of rapists. It addresses the motivations inherent in each type. It explains the concept that rape is far less about sex than it is about anger, power or control. It uses clinical interviews with both perpetrators and victims to illustrate concepts.

It is a useful basic text. Published in 1979 there is some dating apparent in the language used, most especially in the interviews. But it is worth the money, for the paperback edition anyway.

This book constitutes the best in it's field providing a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamics of sexual assault on the part of the offender. After twenty years it remains relevant and fortunately will be reissued in a paperback format in December 2001. It essential reading for everyone whose work brings them into contact with victims and/or perpetrators of sexual abuse.

Originally purchased as a text for a sociology class undertaken at PSU, I soon learned to use Groth's book as a source for the use of academia to validate pop psychology. Within its pages Groth attempts to persuade the reader that sex plays little, if no role at all in the commission of rape. While the victim is never to blame, this does not necessarily mean the offender always commits his crime out of a desire for control, domination or worse yet, because he is suffering from a loss of self-esteem. It is here that I believe Groth falters. He disregards the work of earlier sociologists like Eugene Kanin who identified weaknesses such as those convicted of rape make up only 3% of rapists. No matter how much information is obtained, these paltry few can never be representative of the whole who commit these crimes. Additionally the work of Cohen and Garafalao is also ignored in favor of Groth's therapy-centered theories. Although the current choice of "experts" in the field Groth's work will undoubtedly fall to the wayside as public opinion, itself, changes within "pop" psychology.

I would haved liked to see a little more about victim impact.

I would haved liked to see a little more about victim impact.