Undergraduate Council

Agreeing that the definition of rape needs to be consistent with Massachusetts law, it calls the Task Force's definition "overly broad." "Basing rape on an expression of consent creates too many situations where someone could be unfairly called a rapist."

"Rape is any act of sexual intercourse that occurs despite the expressed unwillingness of the victim against whom the crime is committed. Unwillingness may be expressed physically or verbally.

"Rape also includes any act of sexual intercourse when the victim is incapable of expressing unwillingness or resisting as a result of conditions including, but not limited to those, caused by the intake of alcohol or drugs. Rape includes not only forced vaginal intercourse or vaginal intercourse despite the expressed unwillingness of the victim, but may also include the penetration of any bodily orifice with a body part or other object."

The Date Rape Task Force

Contending that all members of the College community are entitled to the right to "bodily safety and integrity," the Task Force set out to review educational programs, couseling services, the procedures used to deal with date rape cases and whether the Ad Board is the appropriate body for hearing cases of rape.

"Rape includes any act of sexual intercourse that occurs without the expressed consent of the person, or is accompanied by physical force or threat of bodily injury. Lack of consent may be indicated physically or verbally and needs only to be expressed once.

"Rape may also include intercourse when the person is incapable of expressing or withholding reasoned consent, or is prevented from resisting, because of the intake of alcohol or drugs. Rape includes not only non-consensual or forced vaginal intercourse, but may also include the penetration of any bodily orifice with a body part or other object."

Massachusetts State Law

Rape is defined as "sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse by a person with another person who is compelled to submit by force and against his will or by threat of bodily injury, or sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse with a child under sixteen years of age."