A sexual assault is considered rape when one person is forced against his or her to have sex. If a person verbally says no, that is considered rape, but it may also be considered rape if a person is unable to say no due to impairment from drugs or alcohol. Additionally, they may also be unable to say no because of a physical or mental disability.
It is imperative to understand what constitutes consent in a rape case, because it may not always be so clear-cut. For example, anyone under the legal age of consent within a state can not give their consent no matter what they say, therefore a rape charge may be brought.
The line between consensual and non-consensual sex can easily become blurred and a person may be wrongly convicted of rape and have to deal with the consequences when they really shouldn’t have to.
Rape is a very serious accusation and should not be taken lightly. Anyone convicted of a rape charge may face serious lifelong repercussions. He or she may have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his or her life and may be limited in where they can work, live or even volunteer.
