...Rape in the United States and India One in five women worldwide might be a victim of rape or got raped in her lifetime (The United Nations, n.d.). According to Rape Gordon & Riger (1989), women fear rape more than any other crime, numerus number of women and girls worldwide suffer from sexual violence and rape. The word rape came from a Latin word “rapere”, which means to steal, seize, or carry away (Polly, 2006). Rape has always been linked to violence, it is a type of sexual assault using violence or the threat of it to force sexual intercourse or other types of sexual penetration perpetrated upon a persons will, it does not discriminate against age, race, ethnicity, or gender so males are not excluded but it is usually a women. However, the definitions of rape vary and the definition has changed frequently over the past 30 years, mostly after the feminist movement (Chasteen, 2001). Ever since the colonial period, the way sexual assault and women’s sexuality is seen have changed dramatically. Back then, women or girls held the reputation of their families, as they were seen as the center of the family and were valued and respected for their sexual purity. If a woman had sex outside of marriage, willing to or even against her will, she was seen and a fallen woman that brought shame and was often blamed for her own victimization because sexual intercourse was acceptable only within marriage (Patrica & John, 1992). With the 1960’s feminist movement people have been...
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...Justice for Rape Survivors, an “At Risk Population” and Ways of Advocating for Them Emily R. Cazier North Idaho College Social Work 240 Kateri Ray Abstract This paper defines the “at risk population” of rape survivors in the United States. Sources for this paper were found through peer-reviewed academic papers and articles, websites for organizations that advocate for victims of sexual assault and rape, and legislative bills from the state of Idaho. This paper also seeks to define the social justice issues, legal and political issues, and advocation for these victims on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of society. Keywords: rape, rape victims, and advocating Social Justice for Rape Survivors, an “At Risk Population” and Ways of Advocating for Them Definition of the “at risk population”: The definition of rape and survivors of rape varies around the world and especially differs from state to state within the United States of America. In the advocacy community, victims of sexual assault are generally referred to as survivors because they have survived a horrible event. (Cazier, 2013) For the purpose of this paper and in keeping with that belief, I will also refer to these individuals as survivors. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) the general definition of rape in the United States is, “forced sexual intercourse, including vaginal, anal, or oral penetration. Penetration may be by a body part or object.” In order for the term rape is apply...
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...The legal history of marital rape laws in the United States is a long and complex one that evolves through several decades. Traditional rape laws in the US defined rape as forced sexual intercourse by a male with a "female not his wife", making it clear that the statutes did not apply to married couples. The criminalization of marital rape in the United States started in the mid-1970’s and by 1993 marital rape was a crime in all 50 states, under at least one section of the sexual offense codes. In 1992, a survey by the National Victim Centre in Arlington, Virginia states that 10% of all sexual assault cases reported by women involved a husband or ex-husband. During the 1990’s, most states differentiated between the way marital rape and non-marital...
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...ACQUAINTANCE RAPE Date or Acquaintance Rape Sharteshia Jackson May 8, 2011 AIU Online Abstract This paper is intended to discuss the topic of date or acquaintance rape. Statictics used by the USR and NCVS as well as the strengths and weaknesses are listed. This paper also discusses the different type of drugs used in date or acquaintance rape as well as how the victim is viewed in the eyes of others. Introduction There are different types of rapes: stranger rape, statutory rape and spousal rape are just to name a few. The UCR and the NCVS view rape differently. The UCR stands for Uniform Crime Report and NCVS stands for National Crime Victimization Survey. Drugs and alcohol can play a role in date or acquaintance rape. Drugs used in date rape cases are GHB, Rohypnol and Ketamine. No victim of rape should feel that they are to blame for being raped and changes to policy are needed to address different issues of rape such as date rape. UCR STATISTIC • The URC program is a tool that law enforcement agencies in different areas and regions could report and exchange important information about crime. • In 2009, the estimated volume of rape was 2.6 percent lower than the estimated 2008 rape volume. • The rate of forcible rape was 56.6 per 100,000 in 2009. UCR STRENTH AND WEAKNESS The strength of the UCR includes: • Provides standardized crime definitions and a common...
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...Marital Rape By Amy Hoekwater December 21, 2012 AMU/CMRJ306 Prof. Natasha Richardson After murder, alone in the United States of America, the prevalence of rape is happened to be second crime that every two minutes sexual harassment case is reported. The most consistent and trustworthy study on the crime was conducted by the US Department of Justice's National Crime Victimization. The study highlights that during the year 2007, about 248,300 sexual harassment cases reported. In the United States, there are various definitions have been drafted to describe the act since it is regarded as a most complicated topic. The spousal rape is characterized as non-consensual and unwanted sex by victims’ spouse, when women surrender due to force or threat or when she don’t want to cohabit (Bergen,1996; Pagelow, 1984; Russell, 1990) According to the findings of the researcher, mostly married women were the victims of force-only sex. The ratio ranges between 10% and 14% (Finkelhor & Yllo, 1985; Russell, 1990). This crime ignored by law, practitioner, social scientists, criminal justice organism and by society too. By 1970, emerged as society and started recognizing that in marital relation rape cold also happen. With the development of time and maturity of law, legal community thought to start or compile work on this significant topic since it is said that wives since taken as personal asset of the husband and that husbands has right to have criminalized rape in marriage...
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...The Impact of Acquaintance Rape for Female College Students Word Count: 3,027 Abstract Acquaintance rape, commonly referred to as "date rape," is sweeping across college campuses throughout the United States. Described as nonconsensual sexual contact achieved by force, manipulation or coercion between two people who know each other, it is a form of sexual violence that had been given little attention prior to the 1980’s. Recent studies indicate that one in four female college students will be the victim of acquaintance rape at some time during four years of college making it the fastest growing crime against females in college institutions. However, because there are widespread false impressions among all college students that acquaintance rape does not exist, is not “really rape” or is not a serious crime, many believe that it is not as traumatic to the victim as rape by someone unknown to them. These erroneous beliefs often leave the victims of acquaintance rape more devastated than the rape action itself. The purpose of this paper is to examine the facts surrounding female acquaintance rape on college campuses and the role that crisis intervention techniques play in the recovery from an experience that many experts describe as crippling. The Impact of Acquaintance Rape for Female College Students Every two minutes someone in the United States is raped, and the chance of the victim being a female college student is four times greater than that of any...
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...Case Name: JUAN ESQUIVEL-QUINTANA, PETITIONER v. JEFFERSON B. SESSIONS, III, ATTORNEY GENERAL No. 16–54 (2017) Factual History: Juan Esquivel-Quintana, twenty-one years old, was admitted to the United States as a lawful resident in 2000. He pled no contest, in 2009, in the Superior Court of California to a statutory rape offense: “unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor,” of which said minor was seventeen years old. The statute further provides that anyone who is convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is more than three years younger than the perpetrator is guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony. Procedural History: The Department of Homeland Security started deportation proceedings against him based on the Immigration and...
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...According to the Webster’s online dictionary rape can be defined as, “The crime of forcing another person to submit to sex acts, especially sexual intercourse (Merriam Webster 2011).” With reference to marital rape this same concept is applied, except the conditions exist now within the commitment of a marital bond. Many persons feel as if, because a couple has made such a commitment to each other then, it is impossible for rape to exist within a marriage. The question arises, is there really such a thing as rape within the marriage? We feel as though it is in fact possible for one to be raped within this context, and throughout this document we will attempt to discuss the law as it presently stands with relation to the sexual offenses act, the proposed amendment of said law, our views as well as others concerning this issue. What Does Our Law Say About Marital Rape? Rape has long been considered as a scourge of humanity throughout various cultures around the world. It has been made illegal in almost every country as a result of the physical and emotional harm that it causes. The context of rape may vary from country to country and from culture to culture but in the Bahamian code of law, its definition is clearly defined. Before one can truly discuss marital rape the question must be asked, what is the definition of rape according to Bahamian law? The present law in the Bahamas defines rape as “the act of any person not under fourteen...
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...people frequently engage in simultaneously as a society. So when we talk about “rape culture”, we’re talking about cultural systems that we frequently participate in together as a society that excuses or tolerates sexual violence. This is widely seen on college campuses across the United States of America. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that proscribes discrimination on the substratum of sex, which can includes sexual harassment, rape, and sexual assault in any educational program or activity that receives federal funding (ACLU, 2015). However this public policy is inconsistent in some ways. In order to make it more...
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...The FBI had reported that the second most violent crime in the United States, after murder, is rape (Byers 47). As defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary rape is unlawful sexual intercourse carried out by force. Despite rape being an abominable crime more than half of all victims do not report their rape to authority (Byers 47). Of those victims who do report ninety percent are women (“Scope of”). Among those women, one in five are victims of sexual assault in college (Kutner 31). However, colleges are not doing enough to protect their female student body. The Center for Public Integrity has reported that only ten to twenty-five percent of these campus rapist will be expelled from school in fear that the school's reputation would be tarnish...
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... Obviously, the culture of the United States and most other countries is patriarchal. Men have the power and control the women. If you don't believe that consider the basics of how our society functions. Women constantly must fight for their rights and sometimes they struggle just to survive without the power and domination of men threatening them. Whether an individual woman wants to conquer patriarchy will come from her desire to be independent and defined outside the context of men. Look to most world leaders to see how powerful patriarchy is. Women are certainly as capable as men to be President of the United States, yet they are not and probably won't be any time soon. Men have been in that role for so long that our country probably does not believe it is possible. Consider who is typically at the head of a company or leaders in local governments. While certainly more women are fulfilling these roles, it is a constant struggle for the ones who are able to achieve that success with men having much more power just by their biological nature. Men have not had to fight for their place in society like women have. It has been an expectation that they will become leaders because that is what patriarchy is about. Much of patriarchy also has its roots in Christianity. Religions which believe the Bible or other religious text often follow it faithfully by its every word which puts the men in charge. The Bible which most Christians live by states boldly that women should be submissive...
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...Social Inequalities and the Law In “Real Rapes and Real Victims: The Shared Reliance on Common Cultural Definitions of Rape,” the authors argue that myths and stereotypes about rape and rape victims abound (Stewart, et al, 1996). Such misinformation can have a “dramatic” impact on the victim including the experience of the rape victim, shaping how she comes to accept an assumed definition of reality that colors her own experience. The most common dilemma in rape cases is victim blame. In fact, victim blame is part of what Stewart et al (1996) mean when they say, “…as a consequence of the reliance on cultural myths and stereotypes of rape, the victim accepts a definition of reality that shapes her own experience.” According to Schaafsma (Rape Advocacy Program), “The genteel idea of womanhood sets women up to be perfect rape victims - those who don't know how to fight back because they've never been taught how.” In today’s world of liberated women, society questions how these women can be victimized through rape or any other type of violent crime for that matter. According to a November 2005 UK poll (Sexual Assault Research), “…a third of people believe women who flirt partially responsible for being raped.” Settings of the “classic rape portrayal” are often the means according to which rape victims decide to report the rape. In a 2003 study of rape victims, DuMont, Miller, and Myhr established that women who did not resemble the mythologized “real victim” were as likely as...
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...I. Description of the Research Topic Sexual assault and rape culture have become a predominant issue around the world. Ranging from college campuses to small villages in Rwanda, women are being taken advantage of for the benefit of men. Sexual assault detrimentally affects women and their way of life. In the following paper, I will discuss political violence through sexual assault in two countries, The Democratic of Congo, and Darfur the region in Sudan; the statistics of sexual assault on college campuses in the United States; laws, policies, procedures, and human rights developed to address sexual assault and how they affect women; sexual violence in the workplace; and current events about sexual assault and the effect on women today. II....
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...Throughout the years rape culture is something that has been in the news, daily lives, online, and in the media pretty regularly lately. Rape has been defined as, “Unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent. Medical professionals have tried to categorize rape to legitimize it. The first category is Gift-From-God-Rape which means that if the rape resulted a pregnancy then it was meant to happen. The second category, Legitimate Rape states that if the rape was legitimate then the female body cannot become pregnant because it shuts down during the attack. 32,000 women get pregnant from rape in the United States each year. In cases where the woman did get pregnant her rapist can now obtain custodial rights to the child, even if he was convicted of the rape. Our culture has begun to place more importance with the parentage of a child than the safety of the child and the mother. The last category is by far the worst; Enjoyable rape is the notion that if a person is going to be raped, then they should lay back and enjoy it. Recently it seems that we see or hear someone talking about rape culture at every turn, but this is far from a new problem. It is, however, being talked about for the first time. With the internet changing the way that people can network over great distances, more people are speaking out and...
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...Abstract This paper describes the definition of violence against women and how it affects society. It also discusses common forms of individual violence against women in the world such as sexual assault, intimate partner abuse (also known as domestic violence), murder, and other legal and cultural customs which physically harm women. This paper also describes societal violence against women, structural forms of discrimination or depravation that affect women as a class. Introduction This paper reviews individual and societal forms of violence against women that occur in the United States and throughout the world. Its purpose is to assist readers in recognizing and managing these phenomena and to encourage them to advocate locally and nationally for solutions to violence issues facing women worldwide. Violence against women is a technical term used to refer to violent acts which are primarily committed against women. Similar to a hate crime, this type of violence targets a specific group with the victim's gender as a primary motive. It includes physical, emotional, economic, financial, sexual, and spiritual abuse due to their gender. The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, defines violence against women as “any act of gender based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion...
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