Rape Law Essay

Originally, the criminal law recognized only two sex offenses--rape and sodomy. Modern court opinions have relaxed the strict definitions of rape, and sexual assault, or criminal sexual conduct, and statutes enacted in the 1970s and the 1980s have expanded the definition of sex offenses to embrace a wide range of nonconsensual penetrations and contacts, even if they fall far short of violent. Statutes and cases refer to sex offenses as either "sexual assault" or "criminal sexual conduct."

You will apply this information in your Essay 3 assignment which asks you to compare the Common Law crime of rape to the current rape laws.