Since 1929, the FBI has defined rape as the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.
While most state laws certainly aren’t this limited, this change in FBI definition affects crime statistics and resources that go to the states.
According to the WaPo:
The revised definition covers any gender of victim or attacker and includes instances in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of the influence of drugs or alcohol or because of age. Physical resistance is not required. The Justice Department said the new definition mirrors the majority of state rape statutes now on the books.
The new definition will increase the number of people counted as rape victims in FBI statistics, but will not change federal or state laws nor alter charges or prosecutions.
The expansion has been long awaited because policymakers and lawmakers use crime statistics to allocate resources for prevention and victim assistance.
Often rape victims are still treated like villains in court and by defense attorneys. When the chief cop spot in the nation defines rape in such a short sighted manner, it is bound to trickle down in a less than respectful way for the victim.
I sincerely hope this issue won’t become a political issue. After all, the Obama administration was behind its implementation.
It will be interesting to see if any of the GA members in the House or Senate put in a bill to get the Virginia Code up to speed. Given that all the various Police Departments are using the same software to report to FBI (DOJ) on the crime statistics, the folks in the GA should make it happen with the upcoming session.
@Ray why do they need a bill? I don’t think Virginia law is the same as the FBI uses. I thought the FBI just had to use the statistics reported by the states now rather than discarding those that didn’t match. I suppose I am asking why we are supposed to change here in Virginia.