For survivors of sexual assault, stumbling upon an "Ask a Rapist" thread is a digital nightmare. Advocacy groups like RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) have issued explicit warnings about these threads.
As one survivor wrote on a mental health subreddit after the 2012 incident: "I came to Reddit to laugh at cat pictures. Instead, I read a man describe how he chose me—quiet, drunk, trusting—as if I were a coupon he clipped. I vomited. Then I deleted my account for two years."
Given that these threads will likely continue to appear (human nature and anonymity being what they are), a coordinated response is necessary.
While Reddit’s moderation team is swift to remove overtly violent content in 2024, archived versions of these threads (via sites like removeddit or reveddit) reveal a disturbing pattern. The hypothetical thread usually begins with a provocative prompt on a subreddit known for "No Stupid Questions" or "AMA" (Ask Me Anything) formats: Ask A Rapist Thread Reddit
"Throwaway account for obvious reasons. I am a convicted rapist who served 8 years. I have been out for 3. I have done extensive therapy. AMA."
Alternatively, the darker versions appear on less moderated subreddrafts:
"Current predator here. I have assaulted multiple people and never been caught. Ask me why I do it." For survivors of sexual assault, stumbling upon an
The responses from the OP (Original Poster) range from clinically detached to disturbingly boastful. Common themes include:
Criminologists and forensic psychologists have debated the motivations behind such public confessions. Without verifiable identity, we cannot know if these OPs are genuine offenders, trolls seeking shock value, or individuals with severe personality disorders. However, three leading theories emerge:
The "Ask A Rapist" thread requires two parties: the confessor and the questioner. The comment sections are arguably just as disturbing as the OP. Users flock to these threads to ask hyper-specific, often clinical questions. As one survivor wrote on a mental health
Reddit’s voting system often fails in these threads. While the OP is typically downvoted to oblivion (negative karma), the thread itself garners thousands of upvotes due to the sheer shock value, pushing it to the front page of r/all, where it attracts even more distressed viewers.
The most famous (or infamous) incident occurred in September 2012 on r/IAmA (Ask Me Anything). A user posting as "askrapist" (a handle since permanently banned) claimed to be a 25-year-old man who had raped multiple women, including a family member. He stated he had never been caught and sought to answer questions "honestly, without judgment."
The thread exploded. Within three hours, it garnered over 3,000 comments. Reddit’s then-CEO, Yishan Wong, was forced to intervene. The thread was locked, then deleted. Wong later posted a public apology, stating: “I have just personally reviewed the thread and the comments. I am appalled… We have removed the AMA and banned the user.”
However, the damage was done. Screenshots of the Q&A spread across Twitter, Tumblr, and feminist blogs. The thread revealed a cavernous flaw in Reddit’s content policy: while violent content was prohibited, a first-person narrative of past violence, framed as "education," existed in a gray area.