Germany, Saying "No" Means It Was Rape
- van: Care2.com
- ontvanger: Chancellor Angela Merkel
A 15-year-old girl in Germany was raped by a 31-year-old man, but the case was dismissed because she didn't "make it clearer" that she did not want to have sex with him. Apparently, in Germany, saying "no" is not enough to constitute assault.
The teenager had been with the accused man and two other adult women during a night of drinking. When they arrived at the flat they planned on sleeping at, the man asked the other two women to leave. None of the women objected--especially since the physically strong man had already beaten up one of them so badly that night that he is serving a three and a half year sentence for the crime.
The man proceeded to have sex with the girl, even though she expressly told him that she didn't want to. But because she did not put up a physical struggle against her demonstrably violent attacker, Germany refuses to formally classify the instance as rape.
This must never happen again. Tell Germany to change its rape laws so they effectively protect rape victims instead of blaming them.
Dear Chancellor Angela Merkel,
Germany's current rape laws deprive so many rape victims of the ability to be heard. Please
protect all rape victims by expanding the legal definition of rape.
When a 15-year-old girl told 31-year-old Roy Z. that she did not want to have sex with him--the message was clear. But Germany's court system claims that physical violence or the threat of physical violence are necessary for unwanted sex to be considered rape--thereby blaming the victim for not risking bodily harm to escape sexual force.
[ Your comments will be added here.]
The teenager had witnessed Roy beat up a woman badly enough to go to jail for three and half years just hours before he raped her. And, not only was the girl underage, but she clearly expressed that she did not want to have sex with Roy.
Change Germany's close-minded rape laws so they do not force women to put up a physical fight during rape in order to qualify for legal protection.
Sincerely,
[Your name here.]
