For 85 years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s rape definition was “the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly against her will.”
On Jan. 6, the FBI expanded the definition to include either gender.
As stated in a press release from the FBI, this new definition states that rape includes “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person without the consent of the victim.”
“This new, more inclusive definition will provide us with a more accurate understanding of the scope and volume of these crimes,” Attorney General Eric Holder said.
In a poll of 56 Nicholls students, 40 students were unaware of the change, and five students were unaware that men were not already included in the definition.
According to city-data.com, there were four rapes for every 100,000 people in Thibodaux in 2010.
In September 2010, a Thibodaux policeman was accused of raping a female student in her La Maison du Bayou apartment. The female student was intoxicated, and a friend of the student asked Officer Corey Morris to assist the female to her apartment.
As stated in the Houma Courier, “Morris was arrested and taken to the Lafourche Parish jail. He was released after posting a $50,000 bond.”
According to statistics posted by University Police on its Web site, there was one forcible sex offense in 2007, none in 2008 and one in 2009, all taking place at on-campus student housing facilities.
“There has not been a same sex offense on campus since 2004,” University chief Craig Jaccuzzo said.
Although rape cases are rare on Nicholls campus, University Police has policies in place for victims of rape.
“We first look at the mental and physical health of the victim. We also push student services for the victim. On the criminal side, we try to recover evidence such as DNA or semen. We provide a rape kit in the hospital’s emergency room,” Jaccuzzo said. “We handle every case very cautiously and carefully.”
According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, which sampled 8,000 women and 8,000 men, 1 in 6 women (17 percent), and 1 in 33 men (three percent) reported experiencing an attempted or completed rape at some time in their lives.
Men on campus agree with the change in the definition.
“It is about time,” Scott Pellegrin, social studies education junior, said.
It is important for a student to report their incidences to police, but if they choose not to, the victim should still get mental and physical help. In the end, not getting this help might be more harmful than helpful, Jaccuzzo said.
According to crisisconnectioninc.org, “Every 21 hours there is another rape on an American college campus.
According to the University Web site, there are four registered sex offenders on campus. Any person can view the site and view the offenders’ profiles and a list of their respective convictions.
