CJA105 AUO Introduction to Criminal Justice M3 A2
Marital rape is one of the most under reported crimes in the western hemisphere. The common thought is how can the husband take something that belongs to him? Rape by someone you have been sexually intimate with is often not seen as “real rape”. Such attitudes are based on the premise that having given initial consent, the woman is not free to withdraw it. In a study done by Diana Russell, rape in marriage is the most common yet most neglected area of sexual violence. In a 1985 study, it is estimated that 100 to 14 percent of all married women have been or will be raped by their spouses.
A study done in the 1980’s, on juvenile girls caused shock when the figures came in . Teen dating often involves rape and sexual assault, and it continues to be on the rise. 1 in 10 high school students have experienced dating violence and nearly 22% of college students.
As I looked for a specific case, I began to notice something… I can’t find any. I cannot find anything in the US. You want to know why? Do I need to reiterate it? When a victim goes to file a report, to press charges and the Detectives say, “The Prosecutor will not go any further than this because you did, (such and such) before. What recourse does she have? If she has the stamina, she can leave him. If not, she lives in the hell her marriage has become. Although marital rape happens more than it should in American society, I have found that it is rampant with foreign nationals and their countries. I found cases from England and India to name but two. In one case, the victim decided to drop the charges. The judge there was concerned about this, in another a woman was thrown in jail, accused of a falsely accusing the man of rape. How can the victim impact statement be heard, if you can’t even get to court?
Women who have been raped by a partner often face