People rape for complex and multifaceted reasons, but the core motivations are often related to power, control, and dominance rather than sexual desire alone. Many studies and expert analyses indicate that rape is fundamentally a crime of violence and aggression, where the perpetrator seeks to exert control over the victim, often driven by hostility, anger, and a desire for dominance. Some common factors behind why people rape include:

• Beliefs in male sexual entitlement and patriarchal social norms that view women as inferior or objects.
• Psychological traits such as lack of empathy, narcissism, hostility towards women, and antisocial behavior.
• Cultural and social influences that reinforce hyper-masculinity, toxic masculinity, and male bonding through aggressive sexual acts.
• Early life adversities including childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, and substance abuse, which can impair emotional development and increase aggression.
• Situational factors like peer pressure in gangs or armed groups, where rape is used as initiation or to create group loyalty.
• Some theories propose evolutionary motivations, but these are highly contested and less supported than social and psychological explanations.

Overall, rape is less about sexual attraction or desire and more about the perpetrator's need to dominate, control, and dehumanize the victim, often influenced by cultural, psychological, and social factors that perpetuate violence and inequality between genders.