The "wealth of misinformation on the subject of rape" that I spoke of in my previous letter to the Collegian ("Men rape to get sex, not to overpower victim," Dec. 4) has been both evinced and contributed to by those who have written in response.

Rape is sexually motivated and is one of many reproductive strategies employed by men. This notion elicits anger in some and is often -- though incorrectly -- construed as advocating acceptance. This need not be the case. Rape is undoubtedly a hateful crime that harms and humiliates the victims.

The perpetrator may dominate and control his victim by means of violence.

Often, however, rape in terms of ultimate causation is poorly understood. It must not be assumed that the injury and humiliation experienced by the victim is synonymous with the intention of the rapist.

Men who rape do so because other mating strategies have failed and not, for instance, because society promotes sexual inequality.

The overwhelming majority of men who rape are, well, losers. They deal drugs, don't have an education and commit crimes. They cannot attract women because women are generally attracted to men who are financially secure. They feel they have no other choice but to rape.

Fortunately, a biological understanding in which rape is viewed as a reproductive strategy allows for helpful conclusions to be drawn. Foremost, while it is true that men are genetically predisposed to rape, this propensity is contingent upon risk assumption.

Men rape when they can do so with relative impunity. It follows then that, if rape is punished more severely, its frequency will decline. So if rape is sexually motivated, is it violent? Violence is often involved in rape, but to say, as many have, that it is essential, is dangerous.

For this would suggest that in order to justify the criminality of rape, violence must always play a role.