Sex Crimes In America

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Sexually violent crimes are heinous offenses that affect millions of Americans each year. The term “sexual violence” is often used to refer to various forms of nonconsensual sexual abuse that can be either physical or psychological. Forced physical sexual behaviors are commonly defined as rape or sexual assault, while stalking and sexual harassment are categorized as psychological types of abuse. Considering that there are several other ways in which sex crimes can occur, the legal definitions of these acts may differ from state to state, but they are all punishable by law. Rape, particularly, is a serious felony that carries a minimum jail sentence of at least one year and in most cases, a more substantial amount of time of incarceration. …show more content…
Consequently, a husband having sexual intercourse with his spouse under any circumstances was never considered reprehensible behavior. It was not until the late 20th century that there became a revision in the legalities pertaining to this concept. Soon after, at least 17 states in the U.S. had abolished the regulations that made prosecuting a spouse of rape impossible. Today, marital rape is illegal nationwide. Although this is the law throughout the country, there are several states, such as Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana, and South Carolina to name a few, whose legislation and legal descriptions place the prosecution of spousal rape on a lesser level than those who are raped by a stranger. An article posted on The Daily Beast.com discusses Ohio state law’s perspective on this issue and concludes, “whether it is charged under a different section of criminal code, restricted to a shorter reporting period, held to a different standard of coercion and force, or given a different punishment, these double standards make marital rape even more challenging to prosecute” (Allen, …show more content…
In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate the vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are there stories.” This famous opening line script is familiar to many who are a fan of this specific cop/legal drama television show. One of the most popular primetime programs based on sexual assault and rape is Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU). This 18 season television series is one of the longest running scripted shows in the U.S. These hard-hitting and emotional series consists of SVU detectives who work diligently to investigate sexually violent offenses in an effort to bring the offenders to justice. The victims characterized in each episode are of a diverse population which demonstrates that these types of crimes do not have a particular prey. Moreover, SVU plot lines do not only focus on attacks by strangers, but oftentimes features examples of marital rape, domestic violence, male sexual abuse, and assaults on sex workers. Though much of the show’s intent is to provide entertainment, it is also instructional supplying information about these difficult topics that are often avoided by society. Furthermore, it helps to magnify the importance of sexual consent and the right to decline. Sexual violence is difficult to accept both in reality and through the creativity of fictitious television
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