# Why aren't there real life rape videos? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2007, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261 "2007-07-18T13:50:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_British_Shop_Owner)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/21 "2007-07-18T17:49:46Z")
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke] Perhaps you should personally investigate what’s available on the web, since you find child / rape porn so fascinating. Don’t ask someone else to do your dirty work. Remember that “doing research” excuse. It might come in handy. [/QUOTE] Perhaps _you_ shouldn’t insinuate what you appear to be insinuating. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/22 "2007-07-18T17:50:45Z")
One clue that they’re fake- you see the same actress in multiple videos 😉 But seriously, they do exist, not necessarily posted on rape/sex websites. Criminal rapists have at times taped their crimes (the couple in Canada IIRC for one), its just that the media has thankfully drawn the line at televising the ones they get, and I assume many remain court evidence and don’t make it to the media. HBO several years ago had some show on shocking crime and played excerpts of one such homemade one. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/23 "2007-07-18T17:57:11Z")
Is this being designed as an actual rape or murder committed and filmed for the explicit purpose of distribution? Since many rapists and murderers have photographed and taped parts or the entirety of their acts I have no doubt that they exist and that some are in some form of circulation. But that probably wasn’t the intention of the filming. Or they have been caught unintentionally by security cameras. I think the drawback to actually doing it for the sole purpose of distribution is that it can be pretty realistically faked and the fake will have few of the potential repercussions. Plus, more money can be made by faking it and telling people it is fake because then it is socially acceptable for everybody to be entertainment by the torture and or mutilation (see, for example, _Hostel II_). ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/24 "2007-07-18T19:20:33Z")
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke] Well, some who’ve been found with child porn on their hard drives insisted they were merely “doing research.” Perhaps you should personally investigate what’s available on the web, since you find child / rape porn so fascinating. Don’t ask someone else to do your dirty work. Remember that “doing research” excuse. It might come in handy. [/QUOTE] This comment brings up an interesting question - how exactly does somebody do research on child pornography in a legit manner? If you want to study submachine guns in person, you can theoretically file for a Class III permit with the BATF and get submachine guns from federally licensed gun brokers, manufacturers or even [in an online auction](http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=76103262) If you want to study effects of MDMA you theoretically file for a DEA license and get [really expensive E from a chemical supply company](http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/search/ProductDetail/SIGMA/M6403). If you’re an academic who wants to, for example, study some aspect of child pornography, what kind of sanction can you receive and is there a legal source of confiscated child pornography? Along the same lines, what if you’re a researcher who wants to study purity of street MDMA. How exactly do you get a hold of street MDMA legally? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/25 "2007-07-18T19:45:39Z")
[QUOTE=groman] If you’re an academic who wants to, for example, study some aspect of child pornography, what kind of sanction can you receive and is there a legal source of confiscated child pornography? Along the same lines, what if you’re a researcher who wants to study purity of street MDMA. How exactly do you get a hold of street MDMA legally? [/QUOTE] In the UK, an application can be made to the Home Office (obviously with the backing of an established academic institution) for access to otherwise illegal materials. Presumably the material can be sourced from the Police or Customs as available. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/26 "2007-07-18T19:48:09Z")
[QUOTE=Strinka] That actually happened around here, I think last fall. Several high school boys raped a mentally challenged girl and videotaped it. They tried to sell it at their school [/QUOTE] Sounds like the victim isn’t the only “mentally challeneged” person involved… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/27 "2007-07-18T20:22:06Z")
[QUOTE=Lumpy] [The Master Speaks on “Snuff” films](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_258.html) (Although article may need updating since the arrival of cell phone cameras, etc.) [/QUOTE] The website Film Threat recently posted a documentary called “Does Snuff Exist?” It’s mostly NSFW so I hope this keeps with the two-click rule: 1. Go to this page [http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=features&Id=0&archive=Date&match=0&page=1](http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=features&Id=0&archive=Date&match=0&page=1) 2. Scroll down to 2007-5-15 Does Snuff Exist? The filmmakers basically agree with Cecil, but also agree with you, Lumpy, that cell phone cameras change everything. In fact, by their definition of “snuff film,” (ie, a murder filmed to be distributed commercially) one has already been created by a group of girls who used a cell phone to record themselves beating a man to death and distributed it via email for a fee. No rape involved, but definitely snuff. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_British_Shop_Owner)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/28 "2007-07-18T20:38:44Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] In the UK, an application can be made to the Home Office (obviously with the backing of an established academic institution) for access to otherwise illegal materials. Presumably the material can be sourced from the Police or Customs as available. [/QUOTE] Anything illegal at all? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261/29 "2007-07-18T20:42:51Z")
\ I believe the question has been answered. To wit: There _are_ real-life rape videos. You just have to look for them. And they can be illegal. The last sentence says to me that this thread is now closed. \ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-real-life-rape-videos/412261.md?page=1)