In this blog post, we will discuss whether rape is an adaptive behavior in human evolution or merely a byproduct.
Can rape be an adaptation?
The topic may sound uncomfortable or even repulsive to some. However, as someone who has always been interested in the purpose of human behavior, I find it quite intriguing. First of all, I would like to exclude moral considerations when discussing the pros and cons of this topic. When discussing whether it is adaptive or not and what impact it has on the human species as a whole, it is inevitable that the moral views of the general public will come into play, but I will not apply my personal moral views to my argument.
Before proceeding, let’s define the key terms “rape” and “adaptation.” In this article, rape is defined as a male forcing a female to have sexual intercourse by using physical force and not taking responsibility for the offspring after intercourse. This definition is used to distinguish between normal sexual behavior and rape in primitive times or among animals, where there is no institution of marriage or special ethical concepts. The basic definition of adaptation is “the product of natural selection.” Natural selection is the process by which organisms that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce, while those that are less suited to their environment die out. In other words, in order to determine whether something is the result of natural selection, we must confirm that it is a trait that is advantageous in the environment.
In conclusion, rape can never be considered adaptation. It is impossible to say with certainty whether there are genetic factors that make rape easier, but even if such genetic factors exist and can be passed on to offspring, rape cannot be considered adaptation. In this article, in order to argue that rape is not adaptation, we will apply the arguments made by various scientists on “adaptation” in other topics of “Darwin’s Table” to rape.
In addition, in order to explain adaptation, it is necessary to explain natural selection and evolution, which I have referenced from Richard Dawkins’ “The Selfish Gene.” In order for natural selection to occur, it must be beneficial for survival and reproduction within the environment. There is an argument that rape is an adaptation because it has existed since primitive societies and continues to occur today.
However, this is a view of rape from the perspective of extreme adaptationists. Let’s assume that there is a gene that makes rape easier. Does this mean that rape is an adaptation because this gene has existed in primitive societies since the beginning of time and has been passed down to the present day? We already know that the shape of the earlobe, double eyelids, and even baldness are determined by genetic factors. However, it would be ridiculous to say that these characteristics are adaptations brought about by natural selection.
In order to discuss whether rape is an adaptation, we must ultimately determine whether rape has been beneficial to the survival and reproduction of individuals. The argument in favor of rape is that it helps individuals who are uncompetitive to reproduce. However, the premise that “individuals without competitive ability” already means individuals that have been eliminated from competition and not selected. Females instinctively seek mates who can adapt to the environment and protect their offspring. Of course, it is impossible to be certain that the mate will be able to adapt to the environment, but males that are not chosen by females will have a lower ability to adapt than other males. Even if they succeed in reproducing through rape, the chances of survival for these individuals and their offspring will inevitably be lower than those of other individuals.
So, is rape beneficial for individuals who are capable of finding mates, rather than those who are not competitive? In primitive societies without legal or social restrictions, it has been argued that rape is more beneficial in terms of time and effort than raising a child. This is because rape can spread more genes than mating through courtship. At first glance, this seems plausible. However, if we look at “selfish genes,” we can see that this is not true. Richard Dawkins explains behaviors that are advantageous for reproduction in the sexual strategy of males and females. According to this, from the male’s perspective, in order for forcing a female to pass on his genes and then abandoning her, i.e., rape, to be advantageous for reproduction, there must be a prerequisite that the female can raise the child alone. Considering that it would have been difficult to raise a child alone in primitive societies, rape is by no means beneficial for reproduction.
It is also possible to assume that females who have been raped will raise their children with other males. From the female’s point of view, this is a viable strategy because half of her genes will be passed on to her offspring. However, Richard Dawkins also mentioned the male’s strategy in this case. In order to avoid raising offspring that carry the genes of other males, males may demand a long courtship period from females or spread chemicals during the courtship period to force females to miscarry. And if there are competitors who want to rape their mates, it is obvious that they will protect their mates through threats.
Ultimately, rape cannot be beneficial for survival and reproduction, given that there are competitors and that the survival rate of offspring drops dramatically when only females raise them in harsh environments. Therefore, this proves that rape cannot be natural selection.
Rape was not chosen!
Let’s take another look at the definition of adaptation. Adaptation is the product of natural selection. However, looking at the human species today, we can see that rape has not been selected. Richard Dawkins described group selection as follows. “If there is a selfish minority in an altruistic group, individuals with selfish traits will have a greater chance of survival and of producing offspring. And those offspring will tend to inherit the selfish traits. Furthermore, after several generations of natural selection, selfish individuals will become prevalent in this ‘altruistic group,’ making it difficult to distinguish it from a selfish group.” Let’s think about the conclusion of this article. Are rapists prevalent? Seeing sexual assault stories in the news all the time, it may seem like there are many, but I think we can agree that rapists do not make up the majority of humanity. This proves that rape is not a selfish act—an act that benefits the individual by passing on their genes to their offspring—as mentioned earlier. Rather, it is the nature of the majority of humans to consider rape a serious crime and an act that should not be committed legally or ethically. It is more accurate to say that humans have adapted to protect their own bodies and potential mates by preventing rape.
One could argue that rape is simply restricted by law and ethical norms in modern society, and that all humans have the potential to commit rape. Rape must have been rampant in primitive times. Let’s consider the case of animals, which have no laws or ethical norms. Is rape their normal way of reproducing? We already know that it is not. The normal way animals reproduce is through mating after courtship. This shows that courtship was chosen because it is more advantageous in the environment than reproducing through rape, where one’s survival is threatened by the rapist or the rapist’s potential mates.
The most important factor in determining whether a trait is adaptive is whether it has undergone natural selection. However, looking at the present and inferring from the past, we can see that rape has not undergone natural selection. Therefore, rape cannot be an adaptation. If rape is not an adaptation, how can it be explained? In Darwin’s Table, another adaptationist team member, Pinker, cites strawberry cheesecake as an example of adaptation. “The reason strawberry cheesecake tastes good is not because we evolved a taste for strawberry cheesecake. It’s just that we evolved circuits that allow us to enjoy foods such as ripe fruit, nuts, and meat. Strawberry cheesecake is simply a byproduct of evolution, a pleasure that we have come to enjoy through evolution.” This argument can be applied to rape as well. Living beings have evolved to feel sexual desire for reproduction, and rape is simply a byproduct of excessive sexual desire. This argument has been heavily criticized by those in favor of rape, but it can also explain why rape that does not contribute to reproduction, such as same-sex and incestuous rape, occurs, which has not been adequately defended. If rape is seen as a byproduct of sexual desire, then it is simply a means of satisfying sexual desire, and whether or not it contributes to reproduction becomes irrelevant. In fact, when Gould asks Pinker on Darwin’s Dinner Table to explain rape that does not contribute to reproduction, Pinker counters that it can be explained by Palmer’s byproduct theory rather than adaptation. Not only in the case of special types of rape, but rape itself does not contribute to reproduction, so rape is merely a byproduct, not an adaptation.
