Men can be rape victims, new gov't policy says

WASHINGTON - The government is expanding its definition of rape, including men for the first time when counting the number of victims, the Obama administration announced Friday.

The expansion, which supporters say is long overdue, is important because policymakers and lawmakers use crime statistics to allocate resources for prevention and victim assistance.

In a press briefing, senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett called the change a "very, very important step" because it counts men and because it includes rapes of women other than by physical force.

Since 1929, the FBI has defined rape as the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will. The revised definition covers any gender of victim or attacker and includes instances in which the victim is incapable of giving consent due to the influence of drugs or alcohol or because of age. Physical resistance is not required.

The new definition will not change federal or state laws and will not alter charges or prosecutions.

"Rape is a devastating crime, and we can't solve it unless we know the full extent of it," Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Biden, author of the Violence Against Women Act when he was in the Senate, said the new definition is a victory for women and men "whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years."

According to government data, one in five women and one in 71 men are rape victims.

[secretomen99]

girls, my doors and windows are always unlocked.

[ftsumner1]

These posts have convinced me that what humanity needs MOST is another good round of the Black Death. We have become overrun by idiots.

[ftsumner1]

I've finally achieved equality - I can be raped!

[KnowerseekerReturns]

Rape should be defined as sex physically forced against the will or sex forced through blackmail. It shouldn't, however, include sex with a minor by *consent*. Such sex should still be against the law, because minors are usually not mature enough to make good judgments (which depends upon age, of course), but it should be categorized as something else instead of "rape". It should be treated as akin to when a crook takes advantage of old people with dementia or the mentally challenged, whatever that crime is, and the punishment should decrease with the age of the minor "victimized".

[ftsumner1]

Why do you say "victimized" in quotations? You don't think they are victimized?

[Light_in_Loafers]

Gay men will call this policy un-Constitutional, bigoted and hateful because it will target them. They will have it repealed because they deserve special treatment than the rest of society.

[erasmus111]

Shut up.

[erasmus111]

"It sounds like loafers snitched on eranmus and hypntoad or they wouldn't have taken so personal."


Nope, not taking it personal. Just sick and tired of people spewing their verbal crap.

[train99]

Hey, don't use such sexy pictures for this story. This looks too much like normal sexual intercourse.

[stupa5]

"with one exception but not by a good looking dame"
bring it on sweetie!

[ProgressNow]

That that's a big change from "Willing participant."

[roblearns]

One, it's reflective of the fact that laws should be blind to gender - even the 1 in 74 (by current estimates) shouldn't be exempt from government protection - prosecute crimes regardless of gender.

But secondly, I see some of you don't get this yet - the crime is about power, not sex drive.

So even if you believe there are differences between the genders (and there certainly are differences) - one difference does not exist - and that is, either gender can be consumed with anger, and play power games.

The case in point are the many cases being brought forth these days about middle school/high school teachers - typically female teachers who are going after children who are under the age of consent.

this change allows the fbi to see that as a crime, an abuse of power...which, indeed, its exactly that.

And the problem is getting worse - not better.

[JT-Ready]

Prison rape is used by the corrupt government to control people.