Male Rape Victims and the Case for a Gender-Neutral Definition of Rape in Bangladesh

Abstract Rape laws in Bangladesh tend to operate on the putative gender binary and understand rape through the prism of penile-vaginal penetration. The idea of male rape, especially adult male rape, remains foreign to the existing rape laws, which leads to the underreporting of rape cases against men. This article argues for a gender-neutral definition of rape in Bangladesh. The justification is premised on two key arguments. First, it demonstrates that, like any other form of sexual and gender-based violence, male rape is a gendered crime. Second, both male rape and the absence of its legal recognition cut across an array of human rights of male rape victims in Bangladesh. The article concludes that a gender-neutral definition of rape would not only recognise the gendered harm that male rape survivors experience but also help Bangladesh fulfil its human rights obligations towards male rape survivors.