The new definition of rape, just approved by the FBI for the Uniform Crime Report is: “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.” A bill passed by the Republican controlled Virginia House requires that wom
en seeking abortions undergo examinations which include the insertion of a probe in the vagina without the consent of the patient. If there is any difference between the legal definition of rape and the procedure mandated by this bill I fail to see it. Yet, on a vote of 63-36, Virginia’s Republican controlled House of Delegates voted to require the rape of women in Virginia.
The bill, which is expected to be passed by the Republican controlled state Senate and signed by the Republican Governor, doesn’t legalize rape; it orders medical professionals to commit this despicable crime. If this bill becomes Virginia law, I hope that medical professionals will choose to violate the law, not women, and that the people of Virginia will take legal action against the legislators who mandate rape.
8 comments
paceaj says:
Feb 16, 2012
Absolutely it’s rape. See the very good Daily Kos piece from yesterday.
Matt P says:
Feb 17, 2012
I think they should arrest the first doctor who does it on charges of rape. Be even better if it’s a 16 yr old getting an abortion, then it’ll be child molestation. Let’s see how far it goes then.
Jenny says:
Feb 18, 2012
Thank you for stating what I have been telling my coworkers the last few days. That the mandatory vaginal sonogram is nothing more than rape by a foreign object. I wonder how men would feel if a law was passed for mandatory rectal sonograms to investigate prostrate problems.
Joe says:
Feb 20, 2012
You’ve heard of “date rape”? Here we have “state rape”.
Jacqui says:
Feb 20, 2012
Oh my gosh! EXCELLENT connection–brava to whoever thought of this!
Bob Smith says:
Feb 27, 2012
This argument does not make any sense. A woman willing to undergo an abortion is CONSENTING to a DOCTOR to allow them to examine them to commit the proper procedure.
LaOda says:
Mar 5, 2012
Consent is the key word here. I were raped again (heaven forbit, but yes, I’m the one in four women who have suffered such an attack) I would want a complete physical to document the attack if it helped lock away some violent felon who is a threat to all women. I wouldn’t want to be forced to do so if I found it too traumatic. The fact that it is mandated and can be performed without one’s consent makes it rape, pure and simple.
Amy says:
Apr 11, 2012
All persons have the right to know every detail about the procedure they are about to undergo and they have the right to say no to any procedure. Probing without consent is a form of rape and violating any rights of a person can be considered rape.