by: Donna M. Carbone
For
years, critics have protested that the FBI’s definition of rape is not
encompassing enough. Among other things, the definition did not account for
assaults where the victim was drugged or drunk nor did it include males who had
been assaulted.
When
the 2010 Uniform Crime Report was released, a five percent drop in assaults was
heralded. Since the old definition of rape was still in place, the statistics were
skewed. Accurate crime stats are important! Legislators see reduced figures as
a signal to cut services and allocate less money for the capture and
prosecution of rapists.
In
January of this year, the Obama administration announced a revision to the FBI’s
definition of rape. That revision will now allow for coverage of assaults
formerly omitted and will provide greater leverage for proposed anti-crime
initiatives. The downside is that the change will take several years to be fully
implemented.
In
announcing the policy change, Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council
on Women and Girls, stated that the new definition “will lead to more accurate
reporting and a far more complete understanding of this crime.” It really won’t.
A whole lot more than updated verbiage is
needed before rape is “understood” and women feel comfortable reporting sexual
assaults. Until we educate society that rape is not about sex – until we remove
the stigma of shame associated with rape – individuals brutalized by this crime
will remain shivering in the shadows.
The
women (and men) who survive a sexual assault should be lauded in the press.
Those who are determined to bring their attackers to justice are heroes. These
brave survivors are on the front line, fighting in the courts and sending a
powerful message to assailants that they will not quiver in fear. We should
award medals so that rapists know we are coming for them.
Until
we make “victim” a word to fear in the heart of every predator, we will never
reduce the incidence of sexual assault.
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