# Why don't prison rape victims just "lock up"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724 "2004-10-17T22:07:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/1 "2004-10-17T22:07:34Z")
I have a few questions about prison rape: First, how common is it, and what kind of people do it? I have a family friend that has been in maximum security since 1987. At 6’4", 350lbs, it’s unlikely that he has been raped, but is it likely that he has :eek: raped someone? I wouldn’t dare ask him. Second, this is gross but, you NEED aritificial lubrication for anal sex. Is this available in prison? If not, what do they use? Third, why don’t the victims just “lock up”? I assume they would probably get beat up but maybe that would cause enough noticeable injury for the gaurds to do something about the situation? I would rather get beat up once (or even occasionally) than raped every day. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/2 "2004-10-17T22:12:53Z")
Soap? And the mere threat of violence might be enough to make the victim cooperate. These are just wags though. Not having had much experience of things being inserted in my bum, I didn’t know it wasn’t possible without lubrication. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/3 "2004-10-17T22:32:58Z")
Soap would be bad for both parties. I used it as a lubricant once, and urinating would hurt like hell for about a week afterwards ☹ ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/4 "2004-10-17T22:40:58Z")
Blood is a lubricant. ---
**Author:** ![Badge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Badge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badge)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/5 "2004-10-17T22:42:41Z")
I’ve investigated many rapes, so I am unfortunately able to answer this. You don’t **need** lubricant. You only need it if you don’t want to cause the recipient pain. That isn’t a big concern in rapes. “Locking up” won’t stop someone who can overpower you. Particularly in male on male rapes, it is common to choke the victim until they are nearly unconscious. This not only stops any resistance, but it loosens the sphincter mucle as well. I really hate that I have to know things like this. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/6 "2004-10-17T22:50:25Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > Soap would be bad for both parties. I used it as a lubricant once, and urinating would hurt like hell for about a week afterwards ☹ As someone who has masturbated in the shower and naively used soap a few times I can say this is not totally true. The stinging wears off after a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/7 "2004-10-17T23:08:40Z")
> [@Wesley Clark](#): > > As someone who has masturbated in the shower and naively used soap a few times I can say this is not totally true. The stinging wears off after a few hours. You’re fortunate it wore off so quickly. Using it for intercourse would certainly tend to jam the soap (a caustic alkali, tho slow acting in soap form) up the urethra. If not washed off quickly after use, it not only causes urinary pain, but can cause chemical burns to the penile skin. Also the vaginal mucosa and labia. So what he says is totally true in his circumstances, which were quite a bit different from your circumstances, **Wesley**. And “locking up” to avoid rape isn’t much good, if you’re smashed in the head enough times to make you insensate. And has already been pointed out, blood lubricates. As do feces. Rape is quite horrific on a variety of levels. Who does rape? Violent, angry people. Who are their victims? Anyone who they perceive as being unable to resist them. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/8 "2004-10-17T23:56:10Z")
Saliva and snot are lubes. Maybe the offender just “hocks up a loogie”. Some of the sex in prison is consentual, or at least not resisted. I don’t know if resistance would do you any good. I don’t know if “old cons” respect it or not. I doubt it. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/9 "2004-10-18T00:13:30Z")
I sure wouldn’t checked “Show your Signature” on that one if it’d been me… ---
**Author:** ![Scarface\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Scarface\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarface_Z)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/10 "2004-10-18T00:20:41Z")
this is off topic but i give it 10 months before martha’s prison rape video starts showing up on porn sites (some bitch in that prison probably wants to do it just as a claim to fame) not to sound perverse 😃 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/11 "2004-10-18T00:38:17Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > And has already been pointed out, blood lubricates. As do feces. > > Rape is quite horrific on a variety of levels. > > Who does rape? Violent, angry people. That’s the part I don’t get. I can kinda understand the anger & violence part, but when you anally rape someone, and they’re not prepared for it or a willing participant, can’t you expect they’re going to lose bowel control and basically shit all over your dick? Is the anger/violence part worth that? It’s not like on **Oz** or porn films where everything is nice & clean. Actual anal rape has got to end up pretty messy, doesn’t it? And the rapist doesn’t mind that? ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/12 "2004-10-18T00:49:13Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > That’s the part I don’t get. I can kinda understand the anger & violence part, but when you anally rape someone, and they’re not prepared for it or a willing participant, can’t you expect they’re going to lose bowel control and basically shit all over your dick? Being raped doesn’t cause a loss of bowel control. Neither does surprise anal sex. If someone has soft feces in his or her rectum, it could get on the rapist’s dick but I don’t think it would be the shit bath you’re imagining. For one thing, most of the time you don’t have much or any shit “on deck.” When you do, it isn’t necessarily soft and it can just be pushed in further. But even though there is the chance that the victim has one on deck and it’s soft, it can be washed off. I don’t think the type of person who rapes people in the ass is the type of person who’s scared to get a little dirty. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/13 "2004-10-18T00:57:36Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I sure wouldn’t checked “Show your Signature” on that one if it’d been me… :eek: Now I’m gonna have to change my sig, or _somebody’s_ likely to get a woody every time he sees it. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/14 "2004-10-18T01:15:02Z")
Just “lock up”… er… what? If you’re just talking about trying to do anal kegels, I’d imagine this would happen involuntarily anyway… and if you were really straining at it, you’d probably just end up with more severe injuries. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/15 "2004-10-18T01:18:13Z")
Does anybody know if condoms are available in prison? I’ve wondered this as a matter of curiosity. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/16 "2004-10-18T02:24:02Z")
> [@Scarface Z](#): > > this is off topic but i give it 10 months before martha’s prison rape video starts showing up on porn sites > (some bitch in that prison probably wants to do it just as a claim to fame) > > not to sound perverse 😃 **Scarface Z**. You’re in GQ territory. Don’t hijack a thread, especially with crap like that. Do it again, and you’re gone. **samclem** GQ moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/17 "2004-10-18T04:04:26Z")
**Qadgop the Mercotan** , is prison rape as prevalent as we’re lead to believe? Does pretty much everyone get raped, at one point or another? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/18 "2004-10-18T04:16:20Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > **Qadgop the Mercotan** , is prison rape as prevalent as we’re lead to believe? Does pretty much everyone get raped, at one point or another? :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: grabs checkbook to pay the balance of 2003 Federal Income Tax bill…man, I don’t need to hang onto the cash that bad! OK, I was gonna hijack, but I got another question for GQ… ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/19 "2004-10-18T04:35:21Z")
It’s probably just me being uptight, but the somewhat ‘lighthearted’ tone to this thread is a bit unsettling. Perhaps [an account (from the _NY Times_)](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/16/national/16rape.html?oref=login) might show how common and serious this issue is. For more info, there’s the Stop Prison Rape activist site. (Also? Thanks **samclem**.) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724/20 "2004-10-18T04:41:07Z")
> [@choie](#): > > It’s probably just me being uptight… (Must … Resist…) Dark Humor for what ammounts to a mentally horrifying topic. Some folks get it, some don’t. Nobody here thinks the reality is funny. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-prison-rape-victims-just-lock-up/269724.md?page=2)