Date Rape
Tami B. Eikelboom
Arizona State University
MLS 598 Crimes & Punishment: Literature & Film, True Crimes
Professor Angela Giron
While rape among acquaintances has undoubtedly occurred for many centuries, the phenomenon now known as "date rape" was not named until 1982, when Mary Koss, a feminist and professor of family and community medicine at the University of Arizona reported the results of her study on a "new and unusual" type of sexual aggression which she termed "date rape" (5: 180). Although Koss ' study created a considerable stir among academics and feminists, the problem of date rape did not fully enter the public consciousness until the early 1990s, following the highly publicized William Kennedy Smith and Mike Tyson date rape cases. This paper examines the date rape phenomenon and the controversy surrounding it. After considering the definition and estimated prevalence of date rape, the analysis looks at the causes and mitigating factors involved in date rape. Included is an examination of some of the factors (e.g., gender, personal belief systems) involved in the attribution of responsibility for date rape. Rape is defined by statute in most states as penetration against consent by force or by threat of force. Many jurisdictions add the clause "or when the victim was incapacitated with alcohol or other drugs" to the criteria (6: 185). The legal definition of rape, as applicable when both victims and perpetrators are legal adults,
In all cases, sexual assault would be considered rape because it would involve non-consensual sex and other non-consensual sexual activities. Sometimes women can get severely injured and some even end up fighting for their lives. Recovering from a sexual assault is a
In the article “On Date Rape”, Camille Paglia argues that the reason why women are falling victims of date rape is because they want freedom but do not act responsibly. She says that freedom comes with responsibility which women should take as they are always at a higher risk of being overpowered by men. The responsibility she refers to is being alert and being on the lookout for signs of possible sexual assault. An analysis of Camille Paglia’s “On Date Rape” shows a fallacious argument resulting from personal attacks, hasty generalization, and false cause.
There is more than one type of rape believe it or not. According to (Article 7A NCGA) There is 1st Degree of Rape which is a person is guilty of rape if the person engages in vaginal intercourse with a victim who is under the age of 13
Researchers have come up with various explanations trying to explain the sexual abuse cases in the globe. Some of these explanations form a basis on psychological perspectives, biological perspectives, and criminal perspectives. Despite these differences, rape cases are considered a violation of an individual right and the traumatizing effects are reported to be similar. The paper will focus mainly on the criminological approach to rape cases (Grooth & Jean, 1979). Various criminologists’ literature will be reviewed in association to rape as an offense against the law.
When asked to define the word rape, a number of responses may be given depending upon what country or state one lives in and if one is a male or female. According to Pandora’s Project.org, rape is defined as any sexual contact or penetration attained without consent; with physical force, intimidation, threat, trickery, or when the victim is mentally capacitated, physically or mentally impaired, asleep or unconscious; this includes due to voluntary or involuntary alcohol or drug consumption.
“Rape is unique. No other violent crime is so fraught with controversy, so enmeshed in dispute and in the politics of gender and sexuality… And within the domain of rape, the most highly charged area of debate concerns the issue of false allegations. For centuries, it has been asserted and assumed that women “cry rape,” that a large proportion of rape allegations are maliciously concocted for purposes of revenge or other motives.”
Rape is a physical attack, not sex. Rape crisis counselors and researchers define rape as an act of violence in which sex is used as a weapon (Benedict 2). A woman is raped in this country every two minutes. Between 1996 &1999 7,787,00 rapes were reported. The
Some circumstances that constitute rape may be, the victim could be abused physically or mentally. Physically meaning by bruising, lacerations and trauma to the private areas. Mentally by not being able to remember much of what happened due to the experience being so traumatizing. The mental abuse could last for a life time which would possibly cause trust issues in future relationships. The victim may show signs of depression, guilt, anger etc.
Rape is a despicable crime that some can’t be forgiven or forgotten. Rape is an act of sexual violence towards another human being without their consents. It’s not only if you have their consent, they also have to be old enough. Rape will give you the consequences of going to jail. Doing so will affect the person that has committed it and the person that has been violated.
In current days, date rape is an obvious risk for modern women. The criminal cases with regard to date rape and robbery are not unusual. In this context, many sociologists, researchers, and even police are warning young females to pay attention to personal safety when going for a party or having a date at night. However, in spite of these good-willed and well-intentioned warnings, there are also some comments and opinions putting forward advices on protecting personal safety for young girls based on the false ground, making their ideas lack of reason and reliability. The editorial, On Date Rape, written by Camille Paglia, is one of these opinions with obvious fallacies and weaknesses in reasoning. There are three most clear fallacies in this article.
On the article On Date Rape, Paglia discussed what contemporary women should think about rape risk. She believes that even though women already won the freedoms, they still need to be aware about rape risks constantly, and keep themselves be safe. Because she thinks today males still are dominant on sex. This is a thought-provoking article. However, even though the author is an authoritative professor, there are still some fallacies and weakness in this article.
Date rape is a forcible sexual intercourse by an acquaintance, where one resists sexual advances either verbally or physically. The perpetrator of this crime varies from boyfriends to casual acquaintances. The Centers for Disease Control reported that eight out of ten rape or sexual-assault cases were carried out by people of these relationship statuses. Sometimes rapists claim they are given given mixed signals, or even misread simple flirtation as a woman’s sexual advance. In any situation, a woman is not
Rape, or forcible sexual intercourse without consent from both parties, may involve physical violence, threats, and verbal abuse to intimidate and violate one person's body. Rape is considered a federal offense in the Western world. A perpetrator committed in the act of forcible intercourse is known as a rapist. According to the American Medical Association, rape
p. 69).” rape is violence against women. It is a violation of her body and her trust. According to Burns, a sociologist at Michigan State University, “rape is forced and unwanted intercourse, where sexual assault is used as a power and sex is a method (Mousseau, 2006. p. 1).” Most rapes are committed not by strangers, but by men known to women, perhaps someone they have gone out with or are supposedly their friends. It can be someone she just met or even her fiancé, but often it is an attempt to assert power or anger. A study by the National Center for the Preventive and Control rape claims ninety percent of rapes are never reported. In those that are reported, sixty percent knew their assailants. Of these, women fifteen to twenty-five are majority of the victims. Alcohol and drugs sometimes play a significant factor, especially in date rape or acquaintance rape cases (Mousseau, 2006).
Webster’s Dictionary describes rape as the crime of forcing another person to submit to sex acts, especially sexual intercourse. Rape is a crime in which most women cannot defend themselves. The fear of rape plagues every woman at some point or another in her life. The traumatic effects of rape vary from mild to severe, from psychological to physical. This paper will evaluate rape, as well as the effects it has on women, the theory behind male dominance and patriarchy, and differences in demographics.