Research Blog II: Prospectus

Statutory rape is a common case in many U.S district and State courts. Jurisdiction concerning statutory rape varies from court to court and even from region to region. Even Internet credible sources develop different meanings and parameters for this common crime. For example, Webster’s dictionary defines statutory rape as “sexual intercourse with a person who is below the legal age of consent”. While according to dictionary.com, statutory rape designates to be “sexual intercourse with a girl who is under the age of legal consent”.  Why the discrepancy? Perhaps the hysteria that revolves around these types of cases. Most of these rapes are committed by male adults toward minor aged girls. Hence, why the United States and even other nations are geared toward patronizing girls while discriminating boys. For instance, there have been court examples where the criminal, who happens to be the women, is charged with no penalty. Citing this type of sex was just for the male’s sexual initiation.

These types of cases are the ones where the discrimination issue is often brought up by society. Why give more lenience toward adult woman than adult men. The separation of gender roles is evident in these types of cases. Why are women patronized while men are discriminated? For instance, why are the registered sex offenders always men rather than woman? Many questions can be considered when it comes to the role of gender roles in our society and even in politics. Even the “types” of sex are considered.

Sexual intercourse is defined as the criminal act in statutory rape. However, many people believe that all type of sexual contact such as fellatio, cunninglus, and mutual masturbation are considered. On the other side of the argument, people believe that oral sex should not count sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse or coitus is defined to be penetration of male and female genitalia. However, for this paper I will consider all types of sexual contact, including oral and anal sex, in order to reveal my points.

Still, many people will deny that anything besides sexual intercourse is not part of a statutory rape jurisdiction. However, recent updates in the law system have come to include these sexual acts. In addition, several cases serve as examples as to what sexual acts and their degree of severity constitute as statutory rape.

Researching and gathering information from books and cases can help clarify the main argument that statutory laws favor women over men. After gathering information, I hope to discover a set of universal conventions in which statutory rape laws are equal for men and women. To add to that, I also want to see why oral sex and anal sex, on some instances, where not considered to be regarded as statutory rape. I also want of examples in which discrimination is revealed in same-sex rape, where lesbian women are given more freedom and protection than homosexual men engaging in same-sex sexual acts.

I mentioned previously about female exemption from current rape laws.  In Jailbait : the politics of statutory rape laws in the United States; I will reveal how a United States survey serves as an example of by argument. Another source Survey of state statutory and case law on the marital rape exemption serves as an example of marital rape exemption that is quite interesting to pose a possible sub topic to my argument. Nonetheless in Taking sides Clashing views in gender, I will supply evidence as why gender roles are critical in my analysis and their importance in politics. Giving information as to why woman are given priority over men in sexual offenses

With his paper I hope to reveal to society that gender discrimination is not the only characteristic of a male dominated society. People overlook how women receive less criminal penalties in just about any crime, not only rape than men. Could this just be a cover-up to diminish the gap in discrimination? Or are women’s sexuality so objectified in the United States and other parts in the world that they are partly exempted from Rape?