We are told in feminist theory that rape is about power and not about sex. What this means was spelt out by Susan Brownmiller in her work Against our Will: Men, Women, and Rape (1975).

She argued that rape is that the real purpose of rape is ‘‘nothing more or less than a conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear’’ (Brownmiller, 1975, p. 15).

This means that rape is a weapon of patriarchy in which all men (at various levels are complicit). In a certain sense then all men benefit from rape because it reinforces patriarchy.

But is this argument sustainable? Consider some examples of rape as a weapon.

What would we say about rape used in war to humiliate entire enemy tribes, ethnic groups, nations, or states? The object of war-rape is to humiliate the women and men of the enemy.

Rape has been used in caste conflict. Panchiyats have given orders of rape to humiliate lower caste people. Let us remember that Muktaran Mai was gang raped in order to maintain the purity of caste. The object is the humiliation of the caste as a whole.