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25 Widener L. Rev. 69 (2019)
Sexual Violence Laws Redefined in the Me Too Era: Affirmative Consent & Statutes of Limitations

handle is hein.journals/wlsj25 and id is 79 raw text is: SEXUAL VIOLENCE LAWS REDEFINED IN THE ME TOO ERA: AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT & STATUTES OF LIMITATIONS OLABISI ADURASOLA ALABI' When you place so much responsibility on the person who is coming out as having been raped, then it diminishes that person's chance and ability to come forward because they feel ashamed. I. INTRODUCTION The term sexual violence refers to a specific group of crimes including sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape.2 Some states explicitly define rape or sexual assault and others do not.' Perpetrators of sexual violence may be strangers, acquaintances, friends, family members, or intimate partners. Every day, hundreds of Americans are affected by sexual violence.' To make matters worse, perpetrators are less likely to go to jail or prison than other criminals.' Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers agree that all forms of sexual violence harm the individual, the family unit, and society, and that much work remains to be done to enhance the criminal justice response to these crimes, including reforming laws that govern sexual violence.' Sexual harassment ranges from degrading remarks, gestures, and jokes to indecent exposure, being touched, grabbed, pinched, or brushed against in a sexual way.' Sexual assault covers a wide range of unwanted behaviors-up to but not including penetration-that are attempted or completed against a victim's will or when a victim cannot consent because of age, disability, or the influence of alcohol or drugs.9 Sexual assault may involve actual or threatened physical force, use of weapons, coercion, intimidation, or pressure * Widener University Delaware Law School, J.D. 2018. The author would like to thank God for surrounding her with people who love, pray, and support her. She would like to dedicate this paper to her family and loved ones for their words of encouragement. ' Alicia Victoria Lozano, Why Is Determining Consent Dfficult in Sexual Assault Cases?, NBC (June 16, 2017), https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Why-Is-Determining- Consent-Difficult-in-Sexual-Assault-Cases-428938043.html. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, approximately sixty percent of rapes are never reported to the police. Id. 2 Rape and Sexual Violence, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE (Mar. 21, 2017), https://www.nij.gov/topics/crime/rape-sexual-violence/Pages/welcome.aspx. Korin Miller, What Is Sexual Assault (and What Isn't), According to The Law, SELF (Nov. 3, 2017), https://www.self.com/story/sexual-assault-definition. 4 Rape and Sexual Violence, supra note 2. Statistics, RAINN, https://rainn.org/statistics (last visited Dec. 18. 2018). 6 The Criminal Justice System: Statistics, RAINN, https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system (last visited Dec. 18. 2018). Rape and Sexual Violence, supra note 2. 8 Id. 9 Id 69

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