perpetrator
he words 'perpetrator' and 'male' are used interchangeably (William Betcher and William Pollack, In a Time of Fallen Heroes). Alternatives, like "criminal" or "rapist" or "assailant," are also heard as male. While certainly not all perpetrators are men, there is statistical support for the idea that perpetrators are mainly men, making it difficult to deal with this on the level of language. See also bad guy.
