NCJ Number
61487
Date Published
1978
Length
65 pages
Annotation
THE GUIDELINE FACILITIES SETTING UP A WORKSHOP ON RAPE BY DEFINING RAPE AND THE MYTHS ABOUT IT, OFFERING LISTS OF WORKING AIDS AND SPEAKERS, AND SETTING WORKSHOP GOALS.
Abstract
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM GOALS ARE SUGGESTED: PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM OF RAPE, MEASURE STATE LAWS AGAINST RECOMMENDED CHANGES, EXAMINE ATTITUDES OF POLICE AND HOSPITAL WORKERS TOWARD RAPE VICTIMS, AND RECOMMEND TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS THE MEANS FOR IMPROVING THE PRACTICES OF POLICE, HOSPITALS, MEDIA, AND PROSECUTORS. IN ADDITION TO CONSIDERING THE IDEAS WHICH EMERGE FROM WORKSHOP DISCUSSION, THE GUIDELINES ALSO SUGGEST CONSIDERATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S YEAR COMMISSION. THESE INCLUDE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT STATE LEGISLATURES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS REVIEW THEIR LAWS DEALING WITH RAPE, PARTICULARLY MODIFYING SUCH THINGS AS THE KINDS OF PENALTIES APPLIED DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF FORCE OCCURRING WITH THE RAPE, REDEFINE RAPE TO INCLUDE SPOUSES AS VICTIMS, REEVALUATE THE RULES ON CORROBORATIVE EVIDENCE, AND SPECIFY THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH PAST SEXUAL CONDUCT MAY BE ADMITTED INTO EVIDENCE. THE COMMISSION ALSO BE ADMITTED INTO EVIDENCE. THE COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT WOMEN ORGANIZE TASK FORCES IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THE POLICE, HOSPITAL REPRESENTATIVES, AND OFFICIALS FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE ON THE FORCE. A FACT SHEET REVIEWS COMMON MYTHS ABOUT RAPE, OFFERS THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER, AND SUPPORTS THIS WITH STATISTICS. A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR WORKSHOP ORGANIZERS INCLUDES AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, LISTS OF SPEAKERS INCLUDING FEE REQUIREMENTS, RESOURCE PEOPLE, RAPE CRISIS CENTERS AND TASK FORCES, AND FILMS. (RFC)