does rape require penetration? is all unwanted sexual contact defineable as rape?

NiceGuysSTFU · 2012-03-19T18:36:12+00:00

That images is sickening. I doubt very seriously that what happened to that person there fits the legal definition of rape. In my jursdiction, rape in every degree requires there to be "sexual intercourse," but that seems vague. If you force someone to perform oral sex, is that legally rape or another type of sexual assault. What if you rape someone with a sex toy or handle of some sort? Not technically intercourse, but suonds like rape to me.

foerthan · 2012-03-20T00:23:45+00:00

I'd normally say that rape requires unwanted penetration (or envelopment) of some sort, but that includes any sort of penetration (fingers, objects, whatever).

That being said, if a person is strapped to a wall and then stimulated (but not penetrated) against his/her will, do we really want to put that in the same category as slapping someone on the ass? There's no penetration, but I would say that the situation is also rape.

So maybe I should say I would classify rape as forced penetration/envelopment as well as anything that would be classified as "sexual assault" when it also includes restraints or overpowering the victim? I'm still not sure that's nuanced enough, but it's closer than just penetration/envelopment I think.

For the record, I consider the picture to be rape.

clockworkgirl21 · 2012-03-20T01:08:54+00:00

Since this woman had unwanted penetration, the penetration being peoples' fingers inside her, I'd call it rape.

If they had only touched her or grabbed at her, I'd just call it sexual assault.

Alanna · 2012-03-19T19:31:28+00:00

I do see the commenter's point on the effect being similar or the same to being (technically) raped. The problem with defining "unwanted sexual contact" as "rape" is that "unwanted sexual contact" covers a LOT of stuff. Things like grabbing someone's ass on the bus (not cool, but not rape). Women could in theory claim that any physical touch was "sexual" even if it was just on the arm or shoulder. And women are just as likely to molest men this way as women (compare/contrast the behavior of men in a strip club to women in a strip club to see the best example of this).

Now, she does make the argument as well that they are "digitally penetrating" her. I think a case could be made for this.

I am personally more upset, however, that women forcing men to penetrate them is not considered legally "rape" in most places, than whether this woman was legally "raped" or "sexually assaulted."

bikemaul · 2012-03-19T18:31:57+00:00

If rape is redefined as other unwanted sexual contact, then society will need a new term for penetration rape.

Personally, I think it's lazy to expand the rape definition instead of trying to make people take sexual assault more seriously.

DisRuptive1 · 2012-03-20T07:16:16+00:00

Assuming the man doesn't want it, does penetration of the hand of a woman by the penis of the man constitute rape?

Willyjwade · 2012-03-19T18:43:45+00:00

Rape does require penetration, other sex crimes do not.

rightsbot · 2012-03-19T18:22:21+00:00

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ignatiusloyola · 2012-03-19T21:09:56+00:00

This is how I view it. I am obviously not an expert, but it seems reasonable (to me).

Unwanted sexual contact is "sexual assault". This includes slapping an ass, groping breasts, groping a groin, etc...

Unwanted sexual contact with clothing removed is "rape".

rapistfindingtugboat · 2012-03-20T03:37:09+00:00

TOOT TOOT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu67WqcDb3c

Title	does rape require penetration? is all unwanted sexual contact defineable as rape?
Author	hardwarequestions
Upvotes	8
Comments	59
Date	March 19, 2012 6:21 PM UTC (14 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/r3rpw/does_rape_require_penetration_is_all_unwanted/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/does-rape-require-penetration-is-all-unwanted.1025636 https://theredarchive.com/post/1025636

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