The Double Standard of Rape and Molly Shattuck

November 7, 2014

The recent press coverage of a rape of a 15 year old boy by an attractive 47 year ex Baltimore Raven Cheerleader sadly should remind all of us the rape is truly gender neutral and the all too present double standard the excuse the rape of boys by women.

In many states (including Delaware) it was not until the 1970s that the crime of rape was even defined to include a woman sexually abusing a young boy.

Medical studies have shown the boys just as girls will suffer for the rest of their lives as result of this sexual abuse. Boys in some ways may have it even harder but society far too often has a double standard.

If the story in the paper had a been about a 47 year old man who had been Baltimore Raven’s football player and who had sex with a 15 year girl everyone would be outraged and want to send him to straight to prison.

In the case involving sexual abuse between Molly Shattuck and the young male victim, I am sure many of the victims friends and classmates are congratulating him for “scoring “ with a “hot woman”, not realizing the power imbalance and the lifetime of scars the sex will cause.

I can only hope this young victim will get the best possible help. I have had the honor and privilege of representing a number of boys who were abused by powerful women and I can tell you it is very difficult for them to come forward.

I would encourage him and others in a similar situation to not simply rely on the prosecuting attorney. The State prosecutor represents the State not the victim.

There are things a good civil lawyer can do even during the criminal proceeding to protect the victim, including asking the Court to make as part of any sentencing the requirement that the victim’s medical and counseling expense be paid by the abuser and that this be part of any sentence.

One final note from the sports world -one of my heroes growing up was Mickey Mantle, the Hall of Fame New York Yankee baseball player. His career and his life was cut short due to decades of hard partying. I recently found out why – he was abused as a boy by several older women, and this caused a lasting perverse effect on him.