The crime of rape is committed if a person has sexual intercourse or oral sex with an individual without their consent. A person can be considered the victim of rape even if one does not resist their assailant, especially is resisting could put one in danger of physical harm or death. Conversely, a person can be found guilty of rape even if the individual did not use physical force; the mere threat of physical violence or intimidation is enough to support a rape conviction. A person is considered a rape victim is one was not able to give consent to intercourse or oral sex because one was inebriated, drugged, mentally incompetent, or a minor.Sexual intercourse is recognized by law as an essential part of marriage, and couples may divorce or have their marriages annulled when sexual relations are denied without good cause. However, a husband or wife’s right to force their spouse to have sex with them is no longer recognized, as it once was. In most states, even if you are married and you have intercourse with your spouse without their consent you can be charged with rape. #RandolphHarris 1 of 6

Crystal Harris, age 43, and her now former husband Shawn Harris, age 44, had been college sweet hearts. They were married in 1996, and the marriage started off pleasant, they had two beautiful boys, with golden hair, the color of the Sun, and dreamy blue eyes, which are the color of the Sky. However, then Shawn became violent, and started abusing his wife Crystal. In 2008, Shawn Harris sexually attacked his then wife Crystal Harris, while their two sons were upstairs. Shawn had been acting strange that night and Crystal felt that something was going to happen so she placed a tape recorder it in the draw, when he started attacking her, she reached over and pressed record. As Shawn was raping her, you could hear Crystal on the audio recording saying “I don’t want to be raped, you’re hurting my neck.” #RyanPhillippe 2 of 6

Despite Shawn Harris’ record of domestic violence and the fact that he was awaiting a separate trial for rape charges during their divorce proceedings, family court judge Gregory Pollack ordered Crystal Harris to pay her husband $1,000.00 a month, in part because she was the household manager, earning $120,000.00 a year as a financial advisor, while Shawn was a househusband, who stayed him with the kids. Before the birth of the boys Shawn was a used car salesman. Shawn Harris was convicted of forced oral sex, the other two charges he faced were spousal rape by force, and sodomy. The tape recording was key in getting this conviction. Crystal Harris was also forced to pay Shawn’s legal fees of $47,000.00. However, she believes it was worth it because she thinks he might have eventually killed her. Critics say that it was traumatizing to have Crystal Harris finically support her abuser and flat-out-wrong. #RandolphHarris 3 of 6

Most rape victims are shielded from the public spotlight, but Crystal Harris is trying to get a law passed that protects rape victims from having to pay alimony to s spouse who rapes them. “It takes a real person, a real victim to show her case, show her face and lobby and get the law passed one step at a time,” reports Crystal Harris. In every state, rape is a felony punishable by imprisonment. A rapist who causes severe physical injuries to the victim or who rapes a child can be charged with aggravated rape and receive more severe sentence for the crime. Men are also victims of rape, but often they do not report the crimes. If you are raped, report the crime to the police as soon as possible. If possible, do not shower or bathe until after you have been examined by a doctor, a physical examination can provide crucial evidence to support your contention that you have been raped and may help identify your assailant. #RyanPhillippe 4 of 6

Give the police the clothing you were wearing at the time of the rape and the bed sheets. Answer the questions from the police truthfully and carefully. However, if an officer should suggest to you that you instigated the attack, ask for a victim’s advocate or ask that the officer’s supervisor be present. Then answer no more questions until your request is granted.  Call a rape victim hotline or community health center for counseling and emotional support. It is common for rape victims to experience periods of trauma that can last for months or even years. Early counseling can help you to resume a normal life. Date rape, or acquaintance rape is the term used for rape committed by a person the victim knows socially. It also covers nondating situation, such as rape by a coworker, neighbor, or classmate. Estimates are that date rape accounts for 80 percent of all rapes–, that is only 20 percent are committed by strangers. #RandolphHarris 5 of 6

For victims of date rape, prosecutions of such rapes present a distinctive set of problems. Because the rapist knows the victim, he or she may try to coerce one into not reporting the crime. It the rapist is an intimate partner, the victim may feel guilty about subjecting him to prosecution. In addition, the victim may be afraid of the attacker and be sacred of being accused of having seduced the rapist with the allegation being that the victim consented to sexual relations and later claimed that they were raped, or bringing rape charges as a retaliation because one was jilted. Because people realize that if they are raped, their behavior will be scrutinized and their character may be questioned, many victims decide not to report the crime or do not report it right away. Because a delay in reporting the crime may also be due to psychological trauma, some courts allow the prosecution to present expert evidence to that effect in order to give the victim the opportunity to explain the delay.  #RandolphHarris 6 of 6