“Most rapists 'friendly and nice'”

Posted: 15 Dec 2010 05:49 PM PST

ALCOHOL-fueled Christmas parties are hotbeds for sexual assault, with new figures showing women are more likely to be raped by friends and colleagues than strangers.

More women are likely to be sexually assaulted during the festive season as alcohol-fuelled Christmas parties dominate calendars.

Brisbane Rape and Incest Survivors Support Centre spokeswoman Heidi Bone told MX rapists often used social situations as a way to gain the trust of their victims and said women needed to act on instinct to avoid risky situations even though they shouldn't have.

``Sexual violence can happen anywhere . . . but for people that have an attraction, if you add alcohol to the situation, it will add to their bravado and likelihood of acting out,'' she said.

Bone said most offenders were not ``depraved sexual predators'' but ``everyday people''.

The typical rapist, according to new research by the the Australian Institute of Family Studies, is highly respected, charming, talkative and engaging and often offends in locations not deemed ``risky'' - at home, in a restaurant or at work or in a car park.

Interviews with 33 sexual assault victims found most victims knew their attacker and often regarded them as ``nice''.

The study found almost one-third of all assaults were committed by a husband or partner and one-fifth of women were attacked by friends or work colleagues.

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Ten women were sexually assaulted by their husbands or partners, and nine by an acquaintance. Other perpetrators included friends (6 participants), work colleagues (6 participants), strangers (5 participants) and others, such as family members and spiritual or community leaders (4 participants).

It also found most perpetrators took calculated steps to build up trust with their intended victim before using alcohol and drugs to control the situation, and later reinterpret the assault as consensual.

Study co-author Dr Antonia Quadara said perpetrators would often manipulate the situation by acting ``nice'' afterwards so the assault seemed more consensual.

''They would make the woman a cup of tea, or send her a friendly text message, or request another date,'' she said.

``The victims said this `nice' behaviour confused them and made them question what had happened, even though the assault itself was extremely brutal,'' she said.

One victim, Trudy, who was regularly raped by her husband, said ``outside, he was such a wonderful helper, he'd help anybody and everybody''.

In the report victim Isobelle, who was raped by a partner she later married, said her rapist could justify what he did.

He came home drunk and raped me. He [did it] in a violent way... he justified it by saying he was drunk. I think in his mind he was justifying because when he was finished, he smiled, cuddled me, went to bed and got up in the morning,'' she said.

Quadara said one in six Australian women were sexually assaulted from the age of 15 and ``stranger rape'' represented only a small percentage.

And most men that offended did it to achieve power or control over their victim or reaffirm their ``heterosexual masculine sexuality''.

She said the study was necessary "imperative" to learn about learn the behaviour of offenders so preventative initiatives could be developed.

For help call toll-free number 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for professional counselling in regards to family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

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