Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 6, 2012
Attorney General Eric Holder Announces Revisions to the Uniform Crime Report’s Definition of Rape
Data Reported on Rape Will Better Reflect State Criminal Codes, Victim Experiences

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced revisions to the Uniform Crime Report’s (UCR) definition of rape, which will lead to a more comprehensive statistical reporting of rape nationwide. The new definition is more inclusive, better reflects state criminal codes and focuses on the various forms of sexual penetration understood to be rape. The new definition of rape is: “The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” The definition is used by the FBI to collect information from local law enforcement agencies about reported rapes.

“Rape is a devastating crime and we can’t solve it unless we know the full extent of it,” said Vice President Biden, a leader in the effort to end violence against women for over 20 years and author of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. “This long-awaited change to the definition of rape is a victory for women and men across the country whose suffering has gone unaccounted for over 80 years.”

“These long overdue updates to the definition of rape will help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice’s commitment to standing with rape victims,” Attorney General Holder said. “This new, more inclusive definition will provide us with a more accurate understanding of the scope and volume of these crimes.”

“The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Advisory Policy Board recently recommended the adoption of a revised definition of rape within the Summary Reporting System of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program,” said David Cuthbertson, FBI Assistant Director, CJIS Division. “This definitional change was recently approved by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller. This change will give law enforcement the ability to report more complete rape offense data, as the new definition reflects the vast majority of state rape statutes. As we implement this change, the FBI is confident that the number of victims of this heinous crime will be more accurately reflected in national crime statistics.” >snip

This series will discuss rape play and associated topics that may be problematic for some. The intent of this series is not to upset but rather educate and empower.

Disclaimer:
Much of this is based on my opinion and my experience. There are a few areas where I have drawn from vanilla sources and I will cite those to differentiate between my opinion and more studied conclusions.

Within kink there are types of play that involve varying levels of negotiated and consensual resistance. Those types of play can be described by the umbrella term “Consensual Non-Consent”. That term is sometimes used to mean Rape Play but I challenge that rape play can be a form of consensual non-consent, but that there are other types of consensual non-consent which may not be rape play, for example interrogation scenes.

Rape play involves the bottom resisting the top’s assertion of control and sexual advances and the top taking that control. This is done within a pre-negotiated framework that enables both the top and the bottom to express their desires, limitations, and motivations. Nothing in that definition specified gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical ability because none of those attributes restrict participation in rape play. Rape play is about someone taking power and someone losing power, within a controlled and negotiated scene.>snip