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Penalty of Death for Men Who Raped an Unmarried or Married Women (except his own wife)
13th century English laws were rewritten to exact a penalty of death upon a man who raped an unmarried or married woman (except his own wife). These laws were rarely enforced but became one of the first laws against rape of women. -
Issues of Rape, Race, and Slavery Addressed by Black Women Activists in Writing, Poetry, etc.
Examples of these writings were presented in Chapter 14: Undeclared War of Gender Violence. Enslaved Black women were raped by their masters but labeled "promiscuous." These documented experiences provide a different perspective of these injustices. -
Missouri v. Celia
An enslaved Black woman was tried for first degree murder of her owner. He repeatedly raped her and she claimed her act as self-defense. Celia was convicted by a jury of twelve white men and sentenced to death by hanging. The trial declared her as property without a right to defend herself against a master’s act of rape. -
19th Amendment Passed
Women gained the right to vote. Although this does not directly relate to the anti-rape movement, it became an important part of history. The women's suffrage movement sparked other movements such as equal Civil Rights for men and women. -
Civil Rights Movement
A struggle for social justice for blacks to gain equal rights. The injustices of police brutality due to Jim Crow segregation laws were presented in Chapter 1: Enduring Legacies of Andrea Ritchie's book Invisible No More. This movement went on to spark the anti-rape movement. -
Anti-Rape Movement
This movement seeks to combat violence against women and abuse of women. It also seeks to change attitudes of violence against women such as entitlement and victim-blaming. Brings to light the physical, psychological, and institutional brutalities against women. During this time, women spoke out and named their rapists publicly as part of the movement. -
Rape Crisis Centers Formed
Rape crisis lines (24-hour) created to help victims deal with the devastation of rape. Rape crisis workers also conducted prevention education and training programs, created brochures, offered self-defense classes, and participated in “Take Back the Night” events (Resource Sharing Project). -
National Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCASA) Founded
This organization advocates for public polices, resources and collaborations that improves the lives of sexual assault victims. NCASA also sponsors a national conference each year to provide training and staff development for workers in the anti-sexual assault movement. It also provides resources for sexual assault victims (Resource Sharing Project). -
Victims of Crime Act
A federal legislation aimed at helping the victims of crime through means other than punishment of the criminal. It established the Crime Victim's Fund, financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders. This act helped victims who did not want to press charges against their perpetrators. -
Violence Against Women Act
The Act provided $1.6 billion toward investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, imposed automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allowed civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave un-prosecuted (Wikipedia). Also established the Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and S.T.O.P. grant funds administered by the Department of Justice (Resource Sharing Project). -
#MeToo Movement
The Me Too movement was founded to help survivors of sexual violence in finding pathways to heal. The viral hashtag helped to commence a conversation about sexual violence, and bring to light the severity and pervasiveness of sexual violence. -
Anti-Rape Walks, "Slut" Walks, and Awareness of Rape Culture
The awareness that sexual violence is normalized in society and notions of victim-blaming and entitlement are widespread. Anti-rape walks and "slut" walks seek to challenge rape culture and provide ways of changing it.
