Child Rape and Sexual Orientation

After Being Arrested on Child Rape Charges, Madrasa Teacher Says He “Does Not Like Women”

Recently in Bangladesh, after a madrasa teacher was arrested on allegations of child rape, a comment he made about himself, namely that he “does not like women,” sparked widespread discussion and criticism on social media. In reality, this is a major example of conflating two completely different issues. Child abuse or rape is a horrific criminal offense in which there is no possibility of obtaining the victim’s consent, as a child is legally and morally incapable of giving consent. On the other hand, an adult person’s sexual orientation, whether they are attracted to women, men, both genders, or neither, is an entirely different matter rooted in biology, psychology, and personal autonomy. Combining these two issues is not only scientifically incorrect but also diminishes the seriousness of the crime itself.

Sexual Orientation: A Scientific Reality

The World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from its list of diseases in 1990. Earlier, the American Psychiatric Association had already removed homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1973. These decisions were not made under political pressure but were based on decades of research, which found that homosexual individuals have no inherent psychological abnormality. Rather, any mental health issues they may experience are primarily the result of social discrimination, hostility, and the pressure of concealment.

Genetic and neurobiological research also supports the biological basis of sexual orientation. A major genome-wide association study published in Science in 2019, involving approximately 450,000 participants, found several genetic markers associated with same-sex sexual behavior, although there is no single “gay gene.” Researchers suggest that sexual orientation results from a complex interaction of genes, prenatal hormonal influences, and environmental factors, much like other polygenic traits such as height or intelligence.

Homosexuality in Nature: Not an Exception, but Common

Same-sex behavior is widely documented throughout the animal kingdom as well. In biologist Bruce Bagemihl’s well-known book Biological Exuberance, evidence of homosexual or bisexual behavior is presented in more than 1,500 species, including penguins, dolphins, bonobos, chimpanzees, lions, swans, and numerous birds and mammals. Among bonobos and chimpanzees, same-sex sexual interactions are a normal part of strengthening social bonds. Cases of male penguin pairs raising eggs together in German zoos have also attracted widespread attention. These observations demonstrate that homosexuality is not “unnatural” but rather a part of nature’s diversity. Scientists suggest that beyond sexual reproduction, such behaviors may contribute to social bonding, stress reduction, or population regulation.

The Bangladeshi Context: Hidden Suffering

In a conservative society such as Bangladesh, many gay men and lesbian women conceal their true identities and enter heterosexual marriages to meet social expectations. There are many women who are, in fact, lesbian but marry men and have children due to family and social pressure, while enduring long-term psychological distress internally. In psychology, this phenomenon is referred to as “minority stress,” a form of chronic mental strain caused by concealing one’s authentic identity and living according to societal expectations. Numerous international studies have found that such stress may increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and even suicidal tendencies.

A simple comparison may help explain this reality. Most people, including perhaps you or me, are heterosexual and would not be interested in a same-sex sexual relationship even for a huge financial reward. Likewise, a homosexual individual cannot genuinely experience sexual attraction toward someone of the opposite sex. This is not a matter of choice but of innate orientation; by nature, their bodies and minds are simply wired this way. Attempts to forcibly change such orientation, commonly known as “conversion therapy,” have been thoroughly rejected by modern medical science and shown to be harmful. Nearly all major medical organizations worldwide, including the American Psychological Association, oppose such practices.

Bisexuality: Attraction in Both Directions

Bisexual individuals are attracted to both the same sex and the opposite sex, either simultaneously or at different times in their lives. Alfred Kinsey’s famous 1948 research introduced the “Kinsey Scale,” which presents sexual orientation as a spectrum ranging from exclusively heterosexual to exclusively homosexual, with most people potentially falling somewhere between the two extremes. Modern research likewise shows that bisexuality is not a form of confusion or a transitional phase but a distinct and valid sexual orientation in its own right. However, due to limited social acceptance, bisexual individuals often experience exclusion from both heterosexual and homosexual communities, creating additional pressure on their mental well-being.

Asexuality: The Absence of Sexual Attraction

Asexual individuals experience little to no sexual attraction toward others. This is not a disease, repression, or trauma-related condition but rather a distinct sexual orientation, which some researchers describe as a “fourth sexual orientation.” According to organizations such as AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network) and research by Canadian scholar Anthony Bogaert, approximately 1 percent of the population may fall into this category. Importantly, asexual individuals may still desire romantic relationships, illustrating that sexuality and romantic attraction are two separate concepts. For example, two people may be in a loving relationship, but one partner may have little or no interest in sexual activity. This does not mean they are ill or romantically involved with someone else; they may simply be asexual. In societies such as Bangladesh, where sexual relations are often considered an essential component of marriage, forcing an asexual person into marriage frequently results in long-term dissatisfaction for both partners.

Sapiosexuality: Attraction to Intelligence

Sapiosexuality refers to a tendency in which a person is more attracted to another individual’s intelligence, creativity, and intellectual abilities than to their physical appearance. It is important to clarify that sapiosexuality is not currently recognized as an official clinical category of sexual orientation by major medical organizations such as the WHO or the American Psychiatric Association. Rather, it is a term commonly used in popular psychology and online culture to describe a particular pattern of attraction. Nevertheless, the experience itself is real. Many people, especially those who highly value intellectual stimulation, may feel a deep emotional pull toward a highly intelligent or creative person even while remaining in a conventional marriage. This sense of unmet intellectual connection can sometimes create emotional distance and tension within relationships, although the underlying issue is not necessarily a lack of affection toward one’s partner but a difference in the way connection is experienced.

Understanding the Difference Is Essential

The central message of this discussion is that the diversity of human sexual orientations is a scientifically recognized reality and bears no relationship to crime or moral deviance, provided that it occurs between consenting adults. Child abuse and rape, by contrast, are heinous crimes in which the issue of consent does not arise at all, and they deserve the strictest possible punishment. In Bangladesh, child sexual abuse and rape are often reported as widespread problems within madrasa institutions, yet successive governments have been unable to bring perpetrators under adequate monitoring and accountability, often citing concerns about religious sensitivities. However, for many people in Bangladesh, issues such as “not liking women” often become more sensational and widely discussed than the crimes themselves. When an offender’s lack of attraction to women becomes the focus of ridicule, the actual crime, namely child abuse, is comparatively pushed into the background, which is an injustice to child victims. As a society, we need greater scientific literacy so that we can respect the consensual sexual orientations of adults while simultaneously taking a firm stand against crimes such as child abuse, never conflating these two fundamentally different moral questions.