Category Archives: Acts of Violence

Judge Tells Sexual Assault Victim, “Bad Things Can Happen In Bars.” Bad Things Can Happen in Courtrooms, Too…

This is fairly dispiriting: After being convicted by a jury earlier this summer of sexual abuse for groping a woman in a bar, ex-DPS Officer Robb Gary Evans walked out of a Coconino County (AZ) Superior Courtroom on Wednesday morning … Continue reading

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CFP: International Review of Law Special Issue on Domestic Violence

From the FLP mailbox: CALL FOR PAPERS The International Review of Law Journal is seeking articles for a special issue on domestic violence to be published in Spring 2013. Our goal is to showcase practical and theoretical accomplishments and challenges … Continue reading

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Under the Shield: Should the Rape Shield Rule Apply at Sentencing Hearings?

Federal Rule of Evidence 412(a), the Rape Shield Rule, provides that The following evidence is not admissible in a civil or criminal proceeding involving alleged sexual misconduct: (1) evidence offered to prove that a victim engaged in other sexual behavior; or … Continue reading

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Daniel Tosh and Rape Jokes

Daniel Tosh’s assertion during a recent appearance at the Laugh Factory that rape jokes are “always funny” has caused a certain amount of comment and controversy, particularly since a woman in the audience challenged him on his opinion. She responded … Continue reading

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One More Reason to Love Gloria Gaynor

Gloria Gaynor is currently serving as a spokesperson for the National Network to End Domestic Violence.  Here‘s the group’s announcement: For more than three decades, “I Will Survive” has been a beacon of hope for countless victims of domestic violence … Continue reading

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Jessica Gonzales v. United States: Blog Resource and Film Announcement

Filmmakers April Hayes and Katia Maguire are in the process of producing Jessica Gonzales v. United States, a documentary about one woman’s legal battle on behalf of domestic violence survivors.  Here is the producers’ description of the film: In 1999, … Continue reading

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14-Year Old Boy “Emulating” Pornography Rapes 9-Year Old Girl

From the (UK) Guardian (here): A 12-year-old schoolboy who raped and sexually assaulted a younger girl after viewing hardcore pornography on the internet has been spared a custodial sentence. A judge was told that the boy, who is now aged … Continue reading

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Deborah Tuerkheimer’s Judging Sex & The En Banc Opinion That Reversed The Rape Shield Killing Ruling

Back in 2010, I posted an entry about the Sixth Circuit’s opinion in Gagne v. Booker, 596 F.3d 335 (6th Cir. 2010), the (in)famous rape shield case in which the dissent accused the majority of “effectively abrogat[ing] every rape-shield statute … Continue reading

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Will Pennsylvanie Become The Last State To Allow For The Admission Of Rape Trauma Syndrome Evidence?

According to an article on the CBS21 news site, “[t]wo very important bills are sitting in committees right now.” One of those bills is House Bill 1264, which allows for the admission of expert testimony regarding rape trauma syndrome. Yes, … Continue reading

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What If Dometic Violence Victims “Stand Their Ground” in Florida?

  Marissa Alexander, a mother of two, was denied a new trial after she was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting “in the direction of” her husband.  Here’s Wonkette’s take: [A] Florida judge has decided that … Continue reading

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It’s My Space, That’s Why They Call It MySpace: Court of Appeals of Texas Finds MySpace Comment Covered by Rape Shield Rule

A defendant is charged with various sexual crimes against the alleged victim, a 15 year-old. To support his defense, the defendant seeks to introduce into evidence a comment that the alleged victim made on her MySpace page, where she referred … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary | 1 Comment

Yxta Murray on “Rape Trauma, the State, and the Art of Tracey Emin”

Yxta Maya Murray (Loyola Law School Los Angeles) has posted to SSRN her article Rape Trauma, the State, and the Art of Tracey Emin, 100 Calif. L. Rev. __ (forthcoming 2012).  Here is the abstract: Prosecutors use “rape trauma syndrome” … Continue reading

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Without Prejudice?: 6th Circuit Deems Rape Shield Evidence Minimally Prejudicial To Victim, Reverses Conviction

The district court excluded the 2007 acts because those encounters occurred at a different place than the indicted offenses. Although there is certainly a difference between private sexual acts and those that take place in public, that does not eliminate, … Continue reading

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A Different Take on VAWA Reauthorization

Republican recalcitrance around the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act has been in the news for the last few days. Unwilling to endorse provisions that would guarantee services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people subjected to abuse and … Continue reading

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Love, Hate, Murder, and Commitment Devices: No-Drop DV Policies and the Reduction in Men Murdered by Intimates

Last week, the folks at Freakonomics posted an interesting podcast (“Save Me From Myself”) about commitment devices. A commitment device is “a means with which to lock yourself into a course of action that you might not otherwise choose but that … Continue reading

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The Loss of Sexual Innocence: Supreme Court of Guam Finds Trial Court Erred in Limiting Cross-Examination of Child Rape Victim

A defendant is on trial for criminal sexual conduct based upon acts that he allegedly committed against a 10 year-old victim. Previously, a forensic examination of the alleged victim revealed scar tissue on her hymen. Before trial, the defendant failed … Continue reading

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More On the Harris Case

I recently received an email from Tim Casey of Legal Momentum regarding the Crystal Harris divorce case, about which I blogged recently. He enclosed a report prepared by the Certified Family Law Specialists Committee of the San Diego County Bar Association, … Continue reading

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The Vermont Frat Questionnaire & The Foreseeability of Stranger Rape Based Upon Increased Acquaintance Rape at a College

If I could rape someone, who would it be? This now infamous question, asked at the end of a fraternity questionnaire at the University of Vermont, led to the fraternity being suspended. But let’s say that the university took no … Continue reading

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“The Internet Swear Jar,” A Guest Post By Samantha Berg

A few days ago I wrote a comment at the Reclusive Leftist blog about misogynistic verbal abuse being unacceptable whether the target is a blogger or a prostitute and whether they are paid or not. Since then I’ve been fleshing out what … Continue reading

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Posted in Activism, Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Human Trafficking, If you're a woman, Pornography's Harms, Sex Trafficking | 1 Comment

On “Violence Against Women is a Global Pandemic”

Soraya Chemaly writes at the Huffington Post that Violence Against Women is a Global Pandemic.  Here is an excerpt from the stats she cites in the article: Every nine seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten. According to the Centers … Continue reading

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Judge Orders Woman To Pay Alimony, Legal Fees, To Ex-Spouse Convicting Of Attacking Her

A San Diego judge has told an ex-wife  to pay her ex-husband’s legal fees and be ready to pay him alimony should he make the request once he leaves prison. Judge Geoffrey Pollack noted that he had discretion in the … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Courts and the Judiciary, Feminism and Culture, Feminism and Families, Feminism and Law, If you're a woman, Justice? | Comments Off on Judge Orders Woman To Pay Alimony, Legal Fees, To Ex-Spouse Convicting Of Attacking Her

The Only Exception: Arkansas Case Reveals Danger Of State’s Undifferentiated Rape Shield Exception

Like many state counterparts, Federal Rule of Evidence 412(a), the Federal Rape Shield Rule, precludes the admission of evidence of an alleged victim’s prior sexual behavior/predisposition to prove her propensity to consent to sexual acts and her likely conformity with … Continue reading

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American Journalist Sexually Assaulted by Egyptian Gov’t Forces

Author and activist Mona Eltahawy is back in New York after being arrested, detained and sexually assaulted by members of the Egyptian Interior Ministry last week. Read her Twitter account of the incident here.  Her left arm and right hand were … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Sisters In Other Nations | 1 Comment

CFP: Lenahan (Gonzales) vs. U.S.: Domesticating International Law

From colleagues at American: Call for Symposium Papers- Lenahan (Gonzales) v. United States of America: Domesticating International Law. Symposium will be held at American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. on April 17, 2012. Deadline for Submission of Abstracts is January … Continue reading

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A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Court Of Appeals of Iowa Fails to Resolve Whether Facebook Photos Trigger Rape Shield Rule Analysis

Similar to its federal counterpart, Iowa Rule of Evidence 5.412a, Iowa’s rape shield rule, Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in a criminal case in which a person is accused of sexual abuse, reputation or opinion evidence of the past … Continue reading

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What Derb doesn’t get (about the reality of sexual harassment)

As noted in earlier discussions, conservative pundit John Derbyshire recently wrote: “Is there anyone who thinks sexual harassment is a real thing? Is there anyone who doesn’t know it’s all a lawyers’ ramp, like “racial discrimination“? You pay a girl … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Sexism in the Media, Sexual Harassment | 1 Comment

Nancy Cantalupo on “Persistent Problem of Campus Sexual Violence”

Forthcoming this week in the Loyola University Chicago Law Journal is this article by Nancy Chi Cantalupo: “Burying Our Heads in the Sand: Lack of Knowledge, Knowledge Avoidance, and the Persistent Problem of Campus Peer Sexual Violence.” Here is the … Continue reading

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The Oh in Ohio: Court of Appeals of Ohio Shockingly Concludes Rape Shield Rule Doesn’t Cover Nonconsensual Sexual Activity

We disagree with Michael to the extent that it stands for the proposition that the rape shield law has any application to prior sexual abuse suffered by a child victim. In construing the rape shield statute, “our paramount concern is the legislative … Continue reading

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Goodmark on “Legal System Fails Abused Women”

An op-ed by Leigh Goodmark (Baltimore) appears in today’s Baltimore Sun.  Here is an excerpt: After learning that Topeka, Kan., District Attorney Chad Taylor planned to stop prosecuting misdemeanor domestic violence cases in response to county budget cuts, the Topeka … Continue reading

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Topeka Misdemeanor Domestic Battery Cases to be Prosecuted by Law Student Interns

In my last post about the Topeka imbroglio, I wondered how vigorously the County DA would prosecute misdemeanor domestic battery cases after the city of Topeka dicriminalized misdemeanor domestic battery and forced the County DA’s hand (by his own admission). … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Courts and the Judiciary | 1 Comment

Topeka Officially Decriminalizes Misdemeanor Domestic Battery

Earlier today, the Topeka City Council, by a vote of 7-3, repealed the local law that makes misdemeanor domestic battery a crime. The move, the councilors were told, would force District Attorney Chad Taylor to prosecute the cases because they would remain … Continue reading

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Research Resource: Gender Jurisprudence Collections at American University

Earlier this semester, the War Crimes Research Office and the Women and International Law Program at American University Washington College of Law announced the launch of the Gender Jurisprudence Collections (GJC).  Here is an excerpt from the school’s press release: … Continue reading

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Placing Topeka’s Possible Decriminalization of Misdemeanor Domestic Battery in Historical Context

After my previous post on the possibility of Topeka decriminalizing misdemeanor domestic battery, I decided to do some research to see if there is any historical precedent for such an action. It turns out that there is (sort of). In … Continue reading

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Topeka City Council to Vote on Measure to Decriminalize Misdemeanor Domestic Battery

Here are some excerpts from the article, Suspected domestic abusers go free as Topeka city, council officials bicker over funds: A bitter argument over money in Topeka, Kan., means that city and county authorities have neglected to prosecute or charge … Continue reading

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Does an Aggravating Factor Based on “a Difference in the Sexes of the Victim and the Defendant” Violate Equal Protection?

Following up on my previous post, here is another interesting case in a similar vein: State v. Wright, 563 S.E.2d 311 (S.C. 2002). In Wright, Todd Wright was convicted of criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature. One of … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Courts and the Judiciary | 1 Comment

Does a Law Punishing More Severely a Male’s Assault of a Female Violate Equal Protection?

Eugene Volokh has an interesting post up over at The Volokh Conspiracy. The post discusses G.S. § 14-33(c)(2), which provides that Unless the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, any person who commits any assault, … Continue reading

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Victim Blaming NYPD Style in Park Slope, Brooklyn

In the wake of several recent sexual assaults in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the NYPD has been handing out some advice to local residents: Note to women in the South Park Slope and surrounding Brooklyn: You might want to think twice … Continue reading

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Unimpeachable: 7th Circuit Finds Evidence That Sauna Was Used as Place Of Prostitution Inadmissible Under Rape Shield Rule

Like all states, Wisconsin has a rape shield rule. Under Wisconsin’s rule, WIS. STAT. Section 972.11(2)(b), in civil and criminal cases involving alleged sex crimes, any evidence concerning the complaining witness’s prior sexual conduct or opinions of the witness’s prior … Continue reading

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“Open Letter from Black Women to the SlutWalk”

Black Women’s Blueprint has posted to Facebook (here) and its blog (here) this “Open Letter from Black Women to the SlutWalk”: We the undersigned women of African descent and anti-violence advocates, activists, scholars, organizational and spiritual leaders wish to address … Continue reading

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A Private Matter?: Military Court Opinion Reveals Problem With Military Rape Shield Rule

Federal Rule of Evidence 412(a), the federal Rape Shield Rule, provides that evidence of an alleged victim’s sexual predisposition or other sexual behavior is inadmissible to establish her propensity to consent to sexual acts and her conformity with that propensity, … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary | 1 Comment

Feminist Law Prof Carrie Bettinger-Lopez and Miami Human Rights Clinic Win Big Women’s Rights Case Before Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

From Froomkinland: U. Miami lawyers from our new Human Rights Clinic won a major moral victory for their client Jessica Lenahan (formerly formerly Jessica Gonzales) in a decision announcedtoday July 21, 2011 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Jessica Lenahan (Gonzales) v. United … Continue reading

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Mészáros on “Young People Raping and Taping”

József Mészáros has posted to SSRN a working draft of his paper The New Pornographers: Neuroscience Justifies a Robust Regulatory Response to Young People Raping and Taping.  Here is the abstract: An increase in the occurrence of young men participating … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Feminism and Law, Feminism and Medicine, Feminism and Science, Feminist Legal Scholarship | 1 Comment

SlutWalk, Women, Talk! Taking Back Public Spaces

Some people are prone to draw a sharp line between sexually-tinged remarks and actual sexual assault. And yes, there is a huge difference. But such remarks are along the spectrum of harmful behaviors, and because they are too often deemed … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Sexual Harassment | 1 Comment

Forgiving Oneself Before Forgiving the Abuser: Healing and Domestic Violence

Justice without forgiveness?  Forgiveness without justice?  Considering these questions in the context of domestic violence, to my mind, at least, both questions focus on the ability of the so called “bad actor” to receive or achieve forgiveness.  But victims need … Continue reading

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Everything But The Girl: Northern District Of Indiana Opinion Sharpens Split Over Nature Of Affirmative Defense In Single-Instance Harassment Cases

An employer is subject to vicarious liability to a victimized employee for an actionable hostile environment created by a supervisor with immediate (or successively higher) authority over the employee. When no tangible employment action is taken, a defending employer may … Continue reading

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Are Up to 80% of All Men “Buyers of Sex”? Please Let the Answer Be No

From Newsweek, this article, “The John Next Door“: Men of all ages, races, religions, and backgrounds do it. Rich men do it, and poor men do it, in forms so varied and ubiquitous that they can be summoned at a … Continue reading

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Drawing Attention to Date Rape Drug Cases

In a column in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. -Tony Infanti

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Gettin’ (Un)Lucky in Kentucky: Court of Appeals of Kentucky Finds Trial Court Erred in Excluding Evidence That Alleged Victim Was a “Crack Whore”

Assume that a defendant is on trial for sexually assaulting a victim. And, assume that the defendant’s defense is, essentially, that the alleged victim is a “crack whore.” Should the defendant be able to present evidence of the alleged victim’s … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Coerced Sex, Courts and the Judiciary | 2 Comments

Correlation is not Causation

Why, why, why do people continue to ignore this simple rule–including people who presumably know better but who invoke a correlation as a lazy rhetorical device? In The Atlantic this month, neuroscientist David Eagleman writes about biological bases for criminal … Continue reading

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Posted in Acts of Violence, Feminism and Law, Feminism and Science, Masculinity, Prisons and Prisoners, Race and Racism | 1 Comment

Once a Bully, Always a Bully

From Reuters (here): U.S. scientists have found that boys who are bullies in the schoolyard are at increased risk of abusing their partner later in life. According to the study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, the … Continue reading

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