In 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was introduced into to the prison administration in order to deter and even in some rare cases eliminate prison rape. However, it yield no sufficient changes, the level of victimization remained at 4.4 percent for prisons and 3 percent for jails (Alarid & Reichel, 2013). Providing education and training failed because the PREA missed the main cause to why sexual violence occurs in the prison system. The prison subculture is one that is built on inmate norms, hierarchy and domination. Sexual violence is just a tool to by which these things are accomplished.
Moreover, most inmates commit prison rape not as source to relieve one’s sexual deprivation but to exert …show more content…
dominancy, subjugate and humiliate their victims.
National experts Dr. Nicholas Groth, author of Men Who Rape and creator of the Groth Typology Theory, states there are three types of rape, based on the goal of the rapist. In general people are driven to rape as a source of power, anger or for sadistic reasons (Dominique A. Simons, n.d.). These three typologies correlate to the same reasons why inmates are driven to sexual violence against one another. Furthermore, Dr. Groth states that rape is pseudosexual act that is complex and multidetermined, which addresses the three typologies while also pointing out the inaccuracy in assuming that rape is an expression of sexual desire (Groth & Birnbaum, 1979).
Based upon the finding in this discussion topic it is very unlikely that adding new prison polices such as providing prisoner training on sexual assault, providing condoms to inmate, or increasing conjugal visitation would reduce sexual assault in prisons.
A study conducted by Rowell-Cunsolo, Harrison, and Haile illustrate that since the inception of the PREA, awareness of prison sexual assault has increased but the number of inmates being subjected to sexual violence still remains high (Rowell-Cunsolo, Harrison, & Haile, 2014). Also, of the 134 inmates surveyed in their study, 43 percent reported to experiencing form of exposure to sexual assault while in a prison facility (Rowell-Cunsolo, Harrison, & Haile,
2014).