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Our Rape Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Rape |
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Definition of Rape
Rape: Forced sexual intercourse; sexual assault; sexual
intercourse between an adult and a minor. Rape may be heterosexual
(involving members of opposite sexes) or homosexual (involving
members of the same sex). Rape involves insertion of an erect penis
or an inanimate object into the female vagina or the male anus. Legal
definitions of rape may also include forced oral sex and other sexual
acts.
Heterosexual rape usually refers to an assault in which a male
forces himself upon a female, and
homosexual rape usually refers to an assault in which a male forces
himself upon another male. However, both terms (heterosexual and
homosexual rape) have been used to refer to an assault in which a
female forces herself upon a male or a female.
Sexual intercourse between an adult and a minor is known legally
as statutory rape. The adult can be found guilty of statutory rape
even if the minor was a willing partner.
Gang rape is a sexual assault in which several persons force
themselves upon a victim.
Date rape is a sexual assault in which the victim is
psychologically pressured, drugged or sedated before the rape. Date
rape is so-named because it often involves a dating couple. The male
may spike a female's alcoholic beverage, making her unable to resist
his advances or even unable to remember the rape. Would-be date
rapists have used sleeping pills to sedate their intended victims. In
addition to adding sleep-inducing medications to alcohol, date rapists also have combined them
with marijuana, cocaine and other drugs.
Rape can also occur in a marriage. Typically, the husband forces
himself on his wife at a time when she is unwilling to have sexual
intercourse.
Victims of rape suffer physical and mental trauma. Physical
trauma may include cuts, bruises and abrasions in the pelvic area as
well as elsewhere on the body. Mental trauma may include overwhelming
feelings of humiliation, embarrassment and defilement. Rape victims
should seek treatment at a hospital. There, doctors and nurses can
treat the injuries, administer antibiotics to prevent sexually-
transmitted diseases, and provide counseling or any other additional
therapy (mental or physical) that the patient requires. The hospital
team's evaluation and report will help document the condition of the
patient for legal purposes.
"Rape" is derived from the Latin word "rapere" (to seize).
Last Editorial Review: 1/26/2000
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