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Sexual Coercion and the Law Part II  


Author:  Richard B. Felson, Ph.D..


Source: Volume 03, Number 06, October/November 2002 , pp.81-86(6)




Sex Offender Law Report

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Abstract: 

This is the second in a series examining the social and legal response to sexual crimes. In Part I, which appears in 3 (4) SLR 1 (June/July 2002), Dr. Felson explored the contention put forth by some that rape is treated leniently by the criminal justice system for several reasons: it is used as a tool for the social control of women; rape is a crime that often goes unreported; and the concern about false charges triggered the establishment of evidentiary requirements which, it turns out, hamper rape prosecutions. In this article, Dr. Felson examines the issues of victim blame, credibility, and consent in rape cases.

Keywords: 

Affiliations:  1: Pennsylvania State University.

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