Tag: Sexual Assault
Sex Crimes: In previous decades — and, indeed, throughout much of history — sexual assault against a spouse was not considered a crime. This may be difficult for most people to believe today, as societal attitudes toward marital rape and sexual assault have changed, but the laws against sexual assault carried out against a spouse…
Date rape allegations are taken very seriously by authorities, particularly if a drug is used. In Texas, the authorities are investigating allegations of date rape at the Texas Capitol. The TV station KVUE reported a Capitol staffer claimed she was drugged with a date-rape drug by a lobbyist during a meeting in downtown Austin. The…
Important changes in how sexual assaults are investigated and victims are treated were enacted in Texas in 2019. Advocates of change are hopeful of further momentum in 2021. The reforms enacted two years ago came on the heels of the #MeToo movement, the Texas Tribune reported. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in Austin…
Sexual assault is a category of crimes that involves performing sexual activities with another person without their consent. Each state has their own consent laws, with very few variances among them. In recent years, we’ve seen a greater awareness being brought to the topic of consent, in a large part due to media coverage of…
For years, a massive backlog of untested rape kits in Texas has hindered investigations and the potential exoneration of people wrongly convicted of sexual offenses. However, a new law that crowdfunds money for rape kit testing is making a dent in the problem. It collected almost $250,000 in its first five months, according to the…
The dozens of allegations of sexual assault against infamous Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men have raised many questions about how society approaches sexual assault and harassment in the workplace. One of the most common questions people have is whether a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) prohibits alleged sexual assault victims from speaking out publicly…
Human trafficking and sexual harassment are on the radar of Texas Governor Greg Abbott who published a new set of policy proposals this month. The Texas Governor proposed a wide-ranging blueprint that includes tackling the backlog of sexual assault kit testing in the state, sex trafficking and sexual harassment at the Texas statehouse. The news…
Legislators are seeking tougher measures to combat sexual assault on Texas college campuses, but there is a lack of consensus about how to proceed. State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, submitted Senate Bill 576. The legislation would require school employees and student leaders to “promptly” report instances of sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking or family violence…
It’s no coincidence that many of the most lurid national headlines about inappropriate relationships between teachers and students are from Texas. In 2016, Texas saw a boom in prosecutions for these types of relationships, the Houston Chronicle reported. The trend has led to the drawing up of stricter rules and a call for new legislation…
Four cities in Texas have ranked among the most dangerous in the country in terms of crimes committed against women. The data was released this month by the insurance and management site valuepenguin.com. It stated one in six women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape at some time in her life. The…