Victims of Forcible Rape Essay - 2202 Words

Rape has long been considered as one of the worst of crimes, but for centuries it was handled without much care for the victim. It used to be thought of as more of a harm against the man, husband or father, instead of something against the woman. In the past, some rapists were punished severely while others were not. This typically depended a great deal on the social status of both the victim and the aggressor (Karmen, 2010). For example, in biblical times, a man could be sentenced to death for the rape of a virgin, but a married woman who was raped could be sentenced to death for enticing the rape. In medieval times, a man might steal a young woman from a wealthy family in order to force her to marry him and thus give him better status,†¦show more content†¦Many states have now adopted a more gender neutral definition, but lack of consent is typically the key factor in labeling a crime as rape (Karmen). One of the problems that plague both the legal system and researchers o f rape alike is the low rate of reporting by victims. The inability to ascertain an accurate number of the amount of rapes that happen each year makes it difficult to determine whether the crime happens rarely or if there is an epidemic in progress as some critics claim. There are a variety of reasons, however, that keep women from coming forward when they are raped. They may feel guilt for getting their offender in trouble if they know him, they may be too ashamed to come forward, they may fear for their safety, or they may just not want their loved ones to know what happened (Hursch, 1977). Whatever the reason may be, the inability to establish an accurate number has lead to a debate as to whether the problem is rare or is at epidemic proportions. One study gave a conservative estimate that 20-30 percent of females twelve or older would suffer a violent sexual attack at some point of their life. This means that a woman is just as likely to suffer a sexual attack as she is to be di agnosed with cancer or go through a divorce (Gilmartin, 1994). Gilbert, however, states that many of the studies showing high rape numbers are flawed. He points out that in one particular study, 73 percent of the women who were defined as victims of rape did not evenShow MoreRelatedForcible Rape : The Social Learning Theory1130 Words   |  5 Pages Forcible Rape Explained Through the Social Learning Theory Andrew Blair Saginaw Valley State University â€Æ' Abstract A crime in America that is committed all too often is the act of forcible rape. Forcible rape is not a crime only against women. The definition was recently changed to aid in gender neutrality and to account for forcible rapes among same gender (FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, 2013). Forcible rape in now defined as, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting ProgramRead MoreCrime Data Comparison Paper731 Words   |  3 PagesCrime Data Comparison Paper Name CJA/ 314 January, 2014 Dr. Anthony Carbo Abstract In this paper, this student completes the following: This student will compare forcible rape crime rates for California and Oregon. This student will compare the data to show which metropolitan area had more reported incidents of forcible rape crimes. This student will also identify the rates of the crime for each metropolitan area. In addition, this student will address how the crime rate changed over time inRead MoreThe Increasing Need to Reform Rape Laws771 Words   |  3 Pages Rape is one of the most widespread and ubiquitous violent crimes facing America, making laws regarding rape and the judicial processing of rape increasingly important. The judicial process itself deters both rape reports and rape convictions. 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Crimes such as this involve (Forced Intercourse, forcible sodomy, child molestation, incest, fondling, and attempted rape). Rape is defined as unlawful intercourseRead MoreCrimes That Relate to Chemical Addiction.1237 Words   |  5 Pagesthat the victim was unable to understand the nature of the act or was unable to give knowing consent; or commits an act of sexual penetration with a victim who was under 18 years of age when the act was committed and the accused is family member. People who are abusing drugs are more likely to commit sexual abuse as well. Sexual abuse is when a person commits an act of sexual conduct by the use of force or threat of force, commits an act of sexual conduct and the accused knew that the victim was unableRead MoreOld Day Crime And Crime1370 Words   |  6 Pages(Levitt). Table 1 â€Å"National Trends in SpeciÂŽ c Categories of Crime† (Levitt) Crime category and data source Percentage change in crime category, 1973–1991 Percentage change in crime category, 1991–2001 Violent crime +82.9 -33.6 Homicide +5.4 -42.9 Rape +75.4 -24.8 Robbery +50 -45.8 Aggravated assault +118.1 -26.7 Burglary +3 -40.9 Larceny +56.7 -23.2 Motor vehicle theft +49.8 -34.6 This crime drop was not all in one state, town, or country; it was everywhere (Levitt). People thought about whyRead MoreRape And Sexual Assault, And Severe Injury Essay958 Words   |  4 PagesRape Sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and severe injury are all results of rape. Sexual assault is a criminal act in which a predator forcibly has intercourse with a person. There are many different types of rape. Stranger rape is a form of rape where victims are randomly chosen and do not know their rapist. The most common type of sexual assault is known as acquaintance rape. Acquaintance rape occurs when the predator knows his, or her, victim. Some examples of acquaintance are including