Blog 3—Sexual Assault/Rape
In the State of Washington there is a total of 2,290
forcible rapes reported to the FBI in 2011. The metropolitan statistical area
had the most reported forcible rapes with 1,985 reported and the outside areas
with numbers in the low hundreds. Again these are only reported rapes and there
is far more then what is reported. A problem which needs to be fixed in the
process for rape victims in the law and procedures in rape cases in the United
States.
Statutes
of Limitation and Laws in the state of Washington
regarding rape
“Sexual intercourse has
its ordinary meaning and occurs upon any penetration”, it is having a sexual
act done to them without the individuals authorization whether same sex or opposite
sex. In addition, Washington includes sexual contact, married, mental
incapacity, physically helpless, forcible compulsion, consent, and significant
relationships in the law. It is the non consent of an individual.
In
Washington the statutes of limitation is broken down into sexual offense
statutes and the limitation for prosecution. The sexual offense statutes states
that rape is classified under a few categories. They go in order from; rape of
the first, second, and third degree when the first and second are class A
felonies and the third is a class C. From there the rape sexual offense goes to
rape of child in the first, second, and the third degree starting with the age
range of the offender being 2 years older than the victim resulting in a class
A felony as well as the second degree however, the third degree is the offender
is 4 years older than the victim which results in a class C felony. In
addition, Child molestation in the first, second, and third degree are added,
which states “when sexual contact occurs between a victim under 12 and an
offender at least three years older than victim”. The age of the victim is
changed in the third degree from under 12 to 14-16 years old. The last sexual
offenses in the state of Washington are sexual misconduct with a minor in the
first and second degree, indecent liberties, custodial sexual misconduct of the
first and second degree, and incest all dealing with age range and ranging from
class C and B felonies to gross misdemeanors.
The
time limitation for prosecution follows the statutes of limitation for the
state of Washington are, “For rape in the first degree and rape in the second degree, within ten
years after commission of the offense, provided that the rape is reported to a
law enforcement agency within one year after its commission; except that if the
victim was under 14 at the time of commission of the offense and the rape is
reported to a law enforcement agency within one year after its commission, the
violation may be prosecuted up to the victim’s 28th birthday”. Along with the
limitation for prosecution, the DNA exception must happen “within one year after the identity
of offender is conclusively established by DNA testing, whichever is later”.
In
the News:
The newspaper article I found was of a 16 year old
boy who was convicted of raping a 17 year old girl and a 19 year old woman when
he was 15 years old. The two victims were rapes on two different nights by the
young Chrisean Cressel and in both case were walking home from the bus stop
when Cressel approached them threatening that he had a gun. Chrisean Cressel
was sentence a 20 year prison sentence by the King Country Superior Court judge.
However, received an “indeterminate sentence, so the state’s Indeterminate
Sentencing Review Board could decide he should face an even longer prison term
— including up to life”.
Media:
The media displays rape in many movies, songs, and
books. Rape is a very sad subject in society that occurs all over the world. In
a fictional movie, “The girl with the dragon tattoo”, a young girl is raped by
her guardian every time she has to visit him for her estate. The movie does
portray a very gruesome display of rape but gives an example of how people take
advantage of a situation in a wrong way by abusing it. Her story may not be far
off from many children and people in the world.
Reference: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568346/
Another media aspect in which rape in discussed is
in books. In the book titled Rape My
Store, by Wendy Green and Jill Saward. The book tells the story of a young
girl being raped in her own home.
Reference:
No comments:
Post a Comment