Gang rape on trial

Jessica Taylor

Are there hypermasculine cultures in which men use sexual violence to express power? Does the media whip up “moral panics” about the ethnic backgrounds of those involved in gang rapes? Jessica Taylor is trying to find out.

For her Masters at the Institute for Women’s Studies, she is analysing the many overlapping issues - psychological, legal and cultural - surrounding the so-called Lebanese gang rapes in Sydney. An exhaustive examination of the way newspapers, magazines, talkback radio and television reported the case reveals a focus on the rapists’ ethnicity.

“It created and maintained a moral panic about men of Arabic background that continues today,” she says. “As a feminist, I bring the discussion back to the actual gang rape, a crime of sexual assault against women. I ask why they did it.”

Boys in gangs

Boys in gangs often openly defy laws and social mores. The Sydney rapists remained defiant and abusive when they appeared in court, even though they faced tough punishment.

In her work Taylor is also looking at other examples of gang rape, in university fraternity houses or during war, for example. She is considering how different cultures foster particular views of women. This leads her to handle cultural links with extreme care.

“We need to look at the different influences of culture and belief on what is basically a crime of men against women,” she says.

She is examining men’s behaviour and how a night out might become a scene for gang rape. Insecure individuals can be given permission by their peer group to act inappropriately, and be encouraged by them as actions accelerate into violence.

Taylor’s review of psychological profiles of the accused, plus court transcripts, will feed into her thesis. She finds her first degree in criminology useful for this work.

Education for change

She is sad that some young women are afraid to go for a night out with their girlfriends and just relax.

“It’s important to be aware and careful, but it’s impossible to totally ‘rape-proof’ what we do,” she says.

She would like to see sex education programs for boys in school improved.

“Sex can be a loving, wonderful thing – but if you’re with your mates, and you’re drunk and they make a suggestion, you’ve got to stand up to them,” she says.

Most of all, Taylor would like to foster more sensible academic and media discussion on all the complex perspectives - sociological, psychological, feminist and legal - that can be brought to bear on gang rape.

To find out more, contact Taylor’s supervisor, Dr Judy Lattas, Director of the Institute for Women’s Studies at judy.lattas@mq.edu.au or Taylor herself at jessica.t@bigpond.com. The Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy website is at www.scmp.mq.edu.au

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