Constructions of perpetrators of rape in psychology journal articles: A discursive analysis

Abstract

Considerable amounts of research, including research in psychology, has been produced to better understand the social phenomenon of sexual violence. The reality of sexual violence is not new but the construction of this phenomenon as a social problem is relatively recent consequence of activist effort and ideological shifts. Research specifically related to social constructions of rape and/or sexual violence have been conducted across various social domains. What seems to be lacking in the literature is an investigation into the way in which academic articles have constructed the phenomenon. The aim of this research was to explore the ways in which perpetrators of rape were discursively constructed in psychology journal articles. The theoretical background that informed this research is that of social constructionism and poststructuralism. The methodological approach deemed suitable and used for this research was Foucauldian discourse analysis. Prevailing constructions in journal articles relating to perpetrators of sexual violence were examined and their implications for subjectivity and practice explored. The findings of this research described six dominant discourses, namely a victim/villain discourse, a psychological discourse, a pathology discourse, a treatment discourse, a career discourse and a gender discourse, some of which had sub-discourses embedded within. The discourses and sub-discourses worked together to produced certain effects and functions. Also, contradictions and variations emerged within and between them. The findings of this research further allowed for a look at how psychology journal articles fit into larger societal discourses.