Ask A Rapist Thread Reddit May 2026

The "Ask A Rapist" thread, posted in July 2012 on the AskReddit subreddit, is one of the most controversial and widely analyzed events in Reddit's history. Originally intended to understand the motivations of perpetrators, it quickly devolved into a platform for self-justification and victim-blaming, leading to its eventual removal by moderators. Overview of the Thread

Reddit's response: Reddit administrators eventually removed the thread, citing concerns about safety and well-being. This move was seen as a measure to protect users. Ask A Rapist Thread Reddit

For every survivor who stumbles into that digital abyss looking for answers, the thread offers only more pain. For every aspiring predator looking for a how-to guide, the thread is a blueprint for devastation. The "Ask A Rapist" thread, posted in July

Initial Intent: The thread was started by a user who noted that while there were many threads for victims, there were few asking for the "other side of the story". Scale: It quickly amassed over 12,000 comments. This move was seen as a measure to protect users

Furthermore, these threads distort public perception. They make rape seem inevitable, strategic, and common. In reality, most sexual assaults are opportunistic, not orchestrated by criminal masterminds. The "Ask A Rapist" narrative plays into a horror movie trope that, while terrifying, is statistically rare. The vast majority of rapes are committed by someone the victim knows—a date, a partner, a family member—not the anonymous Reddit edgelord describing a fantasy.