The question of whether a man can be raped by a woman or another man elicited interesting responses. A significantly higher number of men [84%] than women [78%] thought that men could be raped. This also correlated with the fact that a higher number of men [52%] than women [46%] believed that a boy can be raped. This sends across the message that society does acknowledge that men and boys can be sexually violated against their will. These statistics are also very enlightening coming from a society that has deep cultural beliefs that perpetuate a version of masculinity in which men are immune to victimisation, and, should they be so victimised, then they are perceived to have lost their manhood. The depth of the knowledge would need to be interrogated in a more qualitative research to understand whether this is a sign of increased gendered awareness on the nature of sexual violence or it is just a build-up of perceptions attributable to the wide coverage of the cases of so called “male rape.” 29 However, from those who claimed not to know if it was possible for a man to be raped, there were a greater number of men than women who said they do not know if men can be raped. In the same manner that the majority of those with tertiary education thought that a man cannot be raped, a larger number of people who attained tertiary education [53%] said that a boy cannot be raped as compared to those without a tertiary education [33%]. This could be explained by the possibility that the tertiary educated people understood rape as it is provided for in our criminal law, which law does not state that it is possible for a male person to be raped. A significant number of people under 30 [86%] than those over 30 [78%] said that males can be raped. This could possibly be attributed to the increasing discourse on male rape into which the younger generations are being socialised. This was however contradicted in the responses to the question on whether a boy can be raped withhigher number of those above 30 [50%] than those under 30 [46%] noting that a boy can be raped, while a significantly higher number of those under 30 [47%] than those over 30 [36%] thought that a boy cannot be raped. This is hence one area that needs further clarity through a more qualitative analysis. More people in the middle class than in the working class thought that males could be raped. A majority of the working class respondents [56%] also asserted that it is possible to rape a boy. However, many more people in the middle class [48%] also thought that a boy could not be raped and a slightly lower number [12%] indicated that they did not know. Given the knowledge exhibited by the majority of respondents in the study to the existence of male rape, it appears there is a need for legal reforms to expand the definition of rape to include attacks on males. Legally, male rape does not exist as a criminal offence in Zimbabwe. When a man is sexually assaulted it is recorded as “aggravated indecent assault” whether committed by a male or female person.30 Amongst the larger Zimbabwean population, the commonly recognised form of male rape is the sensationalised version of the rise of the female rapists.31 However, male-on-male rape occurs more frequently than this type of rape. Male-on-male rape, particularly in prison is often regarded as sodomy, and by its very nature is shrouded in secrecy because of the stigma that Zimbabwean society attaches to sodomy and homosexuality. Consequently, most male victims of male-on-male rape hardly report for fear of revictimisation with such expressions such as “akaitwa mukadzi nemumwe murume/wambamba ngamandla wamenza umfazi wakhe” “he was turned into a wife by another man” or “akabatwa nengochani/wabanjwa 29 See: Mercy Makuwatsine, “Can men be raped?” Zimbabwemail http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/opinion/9372-can-men-beraped.html ; Steve Vickers, “Zimbabwe women accused of raping men 'for rituals” BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15876968 ;. 30 The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] Act 23/2004, 6/2005 (s11), 9/2006 (s31) SIs 30A/2007 and 134/2007Section 66 (1) (a) (ii) if committed by a female and Section 66 (1) (b) (ii) if committed by a male person. 31 Perfect Mazani, “When the hunter becomes the hunted” ZBC http://www.zbc.co.zw/news-categories/blogs-a-features/5553-when-thehunter-becomes-the-hunted.htmll ; The African Aristocrat, “Another Zimbabwean man raped as notorious female attackers strike again” The African Aristocrat http://www.africanaristocrat.com/?p=2345