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Gisselle Pasillas

Vargas

Education 1302

20 April 2017

Marital Rape

Studies have shown that ten to fourteen percent of women have experienced

forced sex from their husbands. Rape is unlawful sexual activity and usually

sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the

will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or

incapable of valid. Marital rape is forcing your spouse into sexual intercourse

without their consent. Marital rape is a serious problem in today's society

that needs to be looked at. Rape is rape and all rapes should be punished

and taken serious, including marital rape.

According to the National clearinghouse on marital and date rape as of

March 1996, only seventeen states and the District of Columbia have

completely abolished the marital rape exemption. Marital privileges are

extended to unmarried cohabitants in some states. In research with wife rape

victims, most reported being raped more than once, with at least one third of

women reporting being raped more than 20 times over the course of their

relationship. Women who experience wife rape suffer a long recovery of

physical and psychological injuries as severe or more severe than stranger

rape victims. It messes that person mentally and physically even more or
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just as equal because someone you trust and know very well just abused

you. When its a stranger you never have to see them again but when its

your spouse, you see them every day.

In an article from the New York Times it starts off with questioning what

the difference between marital rape and other rape victims is. The article

includes quotes such as Its the difference between living with the

frightening memory of having been raped, which is bad enough, and actually

living with the rapist said Dr. Kersti Yllo, assistant professor of sociology at

Wheaton College. It gives us real examples of cases of marital rape in the

United States, like in Massachusetts, Oregon, and California. There is facts

based on cases where the state want to change the laws regarding forced

sex in marriage. Throughout the article they continue to give us their

opinions and real logical facts on the topic. They used a study and

interviewed 50 victims of marital rape. It gives us research and percentages.

In 1980, there was a study that showed that in random sample 930 women

18 years and older, rape by a husband was reported more than twice as

often as rape by a stranger. Twelve percent of the 644 married women in the

sample reported rape by a husband. Dr.Yllo gives us his own opinions and

what victims of this can do but Dr, Yllo also quotes about real cases and

studies that show the reality of this situation.

Why is there people out there that believe its okay just because you're

married? If the person gets affected by it just as much or maybe more as

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they would if it was a stranger, then why shouldnt it be charged and taken

as serious as stranger rape? We all need to stand up together to make a

change and show to everyone that all rapes matter. Nobody should have to

go through the pain and the recovery from being raped. No matter the

situation its a crime and we all need to see it. Being married is not an

exception nor does it make it okay. We need to let those people know that

theres help out there. Marital rape is still considered rape and needs to be

charged just as equally as any other rape.