Legal definition of rape

1. Legal definition of rape • Sexual penetration without the individual’s consent, obtained by force or threat of physical harm, or when a victim is incapable of giving consent • Related, broader term: sexual assault • Sexual touching and other unwanted forms of sexual contact • Accompanied by psychological pressure or physical threat

2. Rape and the Law • U.S. has one of highest reported rate of rapes in the world • Reported rapes are only a minority of all rapes committed • Only half of reported rapes result in an arrest • Fewer than 10% of rapes result in prison sentences

3. How often does rape occur? • Most rapes go unreported, so accurate estimates are difficult • Probably between 15% and 30% of U.S. and Canadian women will be raped in their lifetime • An estimated 16% of rapes will be reported to the police • Of these, only 15% to 30% end in the conviction of the rapist, and only half of those spend more than 1 year in jail

4. Rape Trauma Syndrome • Acute Crisis Phase • Denial/shock/disbelief • Disruption of sleeping, eating patterns • Guilt, hostility, & blame • Regression to state of helplessness • Distorted perceptions • Long-term reactions

5. Acquaintance rape • About 15% of all women will be raped by an acquaintance or date (20-25% of college women) • An additional 35% to 40% of women will experience some other form of sexual assault from an acquaintance or date • In a 1999 Canadian study of women whose experience met the legal definition of rape, only 40% actually classified the assault as a rape

6. About half of all acquaintance rapes involve alcohol (either perpetrator, victim, or both) Drug “rohypnol” can also be used; renders victim unable to recall events of the attack You can be tested for Rohypnol up to 60 hours after ingesting it Studies suggest that men perceive sexual “signals” in women’s behavior when women intend only simple friendship More on acquaintance rape

7. Fear of rape • Between 33% and 54% of U.S. women report feeling unsafe when alone at night • Recent survey suggests that women take many precautions to avoid being raped by a stranger • However, women take fewer precautions to avoid being raped by an acquaintance, even though they know this is more common

8. Rape Myths • Going to a man’s apartment implies a willingness to have sex. • Any healthy woman can successfully resist a rapist if she really wants to. • Women who dress provocatively are “asking for it.” • Many women have an unconscious wish to be raped. • “No” means “yes”