ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 focuses on the general concept of rape and sexual assaults as criminal offenses and the dichotomy of calling these offenses sex crimes, when they are really about anger, power, and control. In a sexual assault, sex is used as a weapon to serve the offender’s nonsexual needs. The historical concept of rape is also covered – for example, in ancient times rape of a defeated enemy’s women was considered “spoils of war” and served as payment for the soldiers. When rape was finally considered a crime, it was the victim’s father or husband who was considered as harmed because females were considered as property of their male relatives. Over the years, countless rape myths have sprouted that can still directly influence the way a victim is seen by a modern jury. These myths can directly affect their credibility and believability. This explains why unlike any other crime, it seems like the victim must first prove she is not lying before the complaint is investigated.
