Similarly, a victim may be legally incapable of consent because of age. This definition also includes instances in which the victim is unable to give consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity.įurthermore, because many rapes are facilitated by drugs or alcohol, the new definition recognizes that a victim can be incapacitated and thus unable to consent because of ingestion of drugs or alcohol. It also recognizes that rape with an object can be as traumatic as penile/vaginal rape. “The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”įor the first time ever, the new definition includes any gender of victim and perpetrator, not just women being raped by men.

It only included forcible male penile penetration of a female vagina. “Forcible rape” had been defined by the UCR SRS as “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.” That definition, unchanged since 1927, was outdated and narrow. It was because of the voices of survivors, advocates, law enforcement personnel and many others that FBI Director Robert Mueller was able to make this important change within the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Summary Reporting System (SRS). The change sends an important message to all victims that what happens to them matters, and to perpetrators that they will be held accountable. In a victory for survivors of rape and their advocates, the Attorney General announced a newly revised definition of rape for nationwide data collection, ensuring that rape will be more accurately reported nationwide. Carbon, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women.

The following post appears courtesy of Susan B.

Meaning of rapt