thadivilhimsewf wrote:Like I was saying to Bananafish, people often refuse to see their own behaviors if those behaviors don't fit with their identities. That's what I'm on about.
Here's a p good documentary on prison rape called
Turned Out: Sexual Assault Behind BarsI'm not sure if it was in the documentary or not but I recall something along the lines of the rapist calling the victim gay because he allowed himself to be raped, and the rapist didn't see himself as being gay but that he was just asserting his power.
Some prison rapists are so ignorant or delusional, they imagine the rape victim to be the homosexual—because he's doing the taking, not dishing it out (he's gay! he's performing a homosexual act!)
— J.J., California, 9/6/96
Smaller, weaker, meeker individuals are usually targets. Meeker individuals tend to "act Gay" is how it's described here and in turn invites assault through the agressors mind. A new inmate needs to come into the system ready to fight and with a strong mind. He will be approached by a bigger guy who will let him know he's going to "fight, fuck or pay protection." . . . . He will offer the new comer wire (for a radio antena) coffee or something so the new comer will come back and the subject will come up every time the new comer comes around and before long the new comer wants to know what the deal is. They go to a job or fall off in a cell agree to be easy, keep it between them, just do each other, ect. When the dude get's the new comer it's over and the dude will tell the new comer he'll take care of him or he'll tell everybody he's just a little bitch . . . . Should the new comer seek assistance of staff, staff just laughs at him, the physic department just says what do you want me to do. It's a no win situation and frustration often leads them to keep up the practice.
— R.B., Texas, 10/13/96
Defendant J.M, a security officer with the rank of sargeant, came to investigate the series of latest allegations. Defendant J.M. refused to interview the inmate witnesses and told plaintiff that he was lying about being sexually abused. After plaintiff vehemently protested that he was being truthful, defendant J.M. made comments that plaintiff "must be gay" for "letting them make you suck dick."
— S.H., Texas, 9/10/96 (legal papers)
From a Human Rights Watch report
http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2001/prison/voices.htmlRape is really just another leverage tool in prison, the common tactic is to get someone in debt to you- give them protection, food, etc, and then ask them for a favor. They'll either feel to scared to decline or they'll be far too grateful that you've helped them, this can lead to rape. It may look consensual to guards since there's no struggling or violence but that's usually either the prisoner being too scared or having just given up and accepting it. This is why I can understand rapists being able to say they're not gay, it's a different world where rape is often used as a tool or weapon. I guess what I'm laboriously getting at is that 'gayness' seems to mainly be a social construct that varies culturally and environmentally, men in the U.S may, for instance, see two men holding hands or kissing each other's cheeks as being gay even if it's culturally acceptable or polite to do. I hope this made sense to read