20 LEHIGH UNIVERSITY Rape: Under Pennsylvania law, rape occurs when a person engages in sexual intercourse with a complainant: (1) by forcible compulsion; (2) by threat of forcible compulsion that would prevent resistance by a person of reasonable resolution; (3) who is unconscious or where the person knows that the complainant is unaware that the sexual intercourse is occurring; (4) where the person has substantially impaired the complainant’s power to appraise or control his or her conduct by administering or employing, without the knowledge of the complainant, drugs, intoxicants or other means for the purpose of preventing resistance; or (5) who suffers from a mental disability which renders the complainant incapable of consent. The Clery Act defines Rape as 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 offense includes the rape of both males and females. Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence is not defined by Pennsylvania state statute. Under Pennsylvania Protection From Abuse Act, however, “abuse” is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members, sexual or intimate partners or persons who share biological parenthood: (1) Attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury, serious bodily injury, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault or incest with or without a deadly weapon. (2) Placing another in reasonable fear of imminent serious bodily injury. (3) The infliction of false imprisonment pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. § 2903 (relating to false imprisonment). (4) Physically or sexually abusing minor children, including such terms as defined in Chapter 63 (relating to child protective services). (5) Knowingly engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts toward another person, including following the person, without proper authority, under circumstances which place the person in reasonable fear of bodily injury. The definition of this paragraph applies only to proceedings commenced under this title and is inapplicable to any criminal prosecutions commenced under Title 18 (relating to crimes and offenses). The Clery Act defines Domestic Violence as a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed— • By a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim; • By a person with whom the victim shares a child in common; • By a person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with, the victim as a spouse or intimate partner; • By a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred; • By any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred. Dating Violence: Dating Violence is not specifically defined by Pennsylvania state statute. The Clery Act defines Dating Violence as violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the reporting party’s statement and with consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. Dating violence includes but is not limited to sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse. However, it is important to recognize that emotional, verbal, and economic abuse are part of the web of dating violence and can exist without the presence of physical abuse. Stalking: Under Pennsylvania law, stalking occurs when a person either: (1) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts toward another person, including following the person without proper authority, under circumstances which demonstrate either an intent to place such other person in reasonable fear of bodily injury or to cause substantial emotional distress to such other person; or (2) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly communicates to another person under circumstances which demonstrate or communicate either an intent to place such other person in reasonable fear of bodily injury or to cause substantial emotional distress to such other person. The Clery Act defines Stalking as engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to— • Fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others; or • Suffer substantial emotional distress. Information about these Pennsylvania statutes is made available through distribution of this Report.
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