Historically, a very specific set of circumstances had to occur in order for an unwanted sexual act to be considered rape. The sexual act at issue had to be forced intercourse, the rapist had to be a man, and the victim had to be a woman other than rapist’s wife. Instead of the term “rape,” many modern penal codes now use the term sexual abuse or sexual assault to define the prohibited acts. Rape is covered by these statutes and may be designated as sexual abuse in the first degree. Lesser offenses such as unwanted touching or lascivious acts may be included in the definition of sexual assault.
