Different states define sexual assault differently but in New Jersey, it is the legal term for rape. Offenders of this crime are usually punished severely under the state law which covers a range of sexual contacts and levels of force. Under the criminal sexual contact, New Jersey state law 2C: 14-3 defines two degrees of the crime depending on the specifics. The Crime of 3 rd degree is applicable if the assault is aggravated while the Crime of degree is applicable if the victim did not sustain any injury.
The other New Jersey Sexual Assault law is the 2C:14-4. This defines two degrees of the crime lewdness. The Crime of 4 th degree applies if the offender uncovers his intimate parts for arousal purposes. The disorderly person offense applies where the offender does any blatant lewd which he knows is likely to be noticed by other non-consenting persons who might be alarmed ("New Jersey Sexual Assault Laws - FindLaw," n.d.).
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The New Jersey state law 2C:24-4 of endangering the welfare of children defines three degrees of crime. The degree of the crime depends on the nature of the crime committed. The crime of 2 nd degree comes into force when the offender films, photographs, distributes or receives sexual acts involving children. The crime of 3 rd degree applies when an offender that is not under the legal duty to take care of a child engages in sexual conduct with that child. The fourth crime degree applies if the offender possesses or views reproductive, film or photography of a child engaging in the sexual act.
The fourth New Jersey state law is 2C:14-9 which involves observing sexual contact; reproducing or disclosing sexual images. This law defines two degrees of the crime. First is the crime of 3 rd degree which is applicable to unlicensed offenders who exposes the intimate parts of a person who is engaging in an act of sexual penetration in form of a videotape, picture or any form of recording. Second is the crime of 4 th degree applies to offenders who are not licensed or allowed to observe another person’s intimate parts without consent ("New Jersey Sexual Assault Laws - FindLaw," n.d.).
Why Sexual Assault rates are high in the Industrialized World
According to the data from the International Crime Victimization Survey, women have a high likelihood of being sexually assaulted than men in developed nations due to several reasons. First is the frequency in which females goes out for leisure activities. These activities range from visiting friends, going to restaurants and bars. Since individual routines matter for victimization risk, women find themselves in situations that expose them to sexual assaults ( Megans-Law , n.d.).
Drug and substance abuse is the second reason why there are high rates of sexual assaults in developed countries. According to research, alcohol is by far the common substance that is associated with sexual violence in the U.S. Studies also reveal that the presence of alcohol has been linked up to half of all instances of sexual assault, either by the perpetrator, victim or both. It was also found out that one in five cases of rape involves alcohol or drug facilitation ( Megans-Law , n.d.).
Pedophilia
This is a psychosexual disorder that involves sexual attraction towards children and often associated with males. It is characterized by recurrent deep sexual-arousal fantasies, behaviors or sexual urges involving sexual intercourse with a prepubescent child within a period of six months (RegisteredOffendersList, n.d.). In most cases, the sexual desires in pedophilia are towards children instead of adults. According to mental health professionals, child molestation should be treated as a disease and a normal occurrence. It has been estimated that sexual orientation affects about four percent of the entire population in the U.S.
In the year 1999, over 90,000 kids were sexually abused, where half of the molesters were parents and 18 percent were relatives. According to these statistics, at least 70 percent of the molesters were fathers, uncles, and grandparents, who the children trusted most. The cause of Pedophilia is associated with the brain condition which a person is born with and not just a choice to be attracted to children. Pedophilia cases keep on increasing because it runs in families and happens to be a variant of OCD with strong genetic predispositions RegisteredOffendersList, n.d.).
One of the challenges most people ask themselves is the security of children when there are several molesters living in the neighborhoods. Majority of pedophilia although not all of them are sex offenders are involved with a number of kids. The only treatment that can be offered to persons with pedophilia is to assist them to learn on self-control techniques and social skills building. The other way to reduce pedophilia cases is to keep children away from offenders since it is a recurrent encounter.
Preventing Victimization of Children in America from Pedophilia
Since it is an illness, pedophilia must be treated in order to minimize the dangers American kids are likely to encounter. Among the many ways of preventing a child, victimization includes always monitoring where offenders are. By all means, offenders must be registered and strictly followed to ensure that they keep off from coming close to children (RegisteredOffendersList, n.d.).
The other way is to study and learn the ways of children. Nurture the children according to the family culture, reality, and experience. Each and every day, the parent should learn the ways of their children and closely monitor their day to day activities to ascertain if their children are doing the right thing and with the right company.
Another means of preventing victimization of children is by teaching them the basics. American parents should teach their children their address, full names, home and phone numbers and also their workplaces. Children should also be conversant with the 911 number and how to use it as well as having a trusted adult who they can call in case they are in danger RegisteredOffendersList, n.d.).
Statistics of Sexual Assaults
Sexual assault is one of the greatest issues that are deep-rooted in the world. The following is a list of sexual assault United States according to the National Sexual Violence Research Center.
One out of 5 women and one out of 71 men are often raped at some point in their lives.
In America, at least one out of 3 women and one out of 6 men are likely to incur contact sexual violence in their life (NSVRC, n.d.).
About 51 percent of female victims’ report having been raped their close friends and over 40 percent by people they know.
Over 50 percent of male victims report as being raped by an acquaintance and about 15 percent of by a stranger.
Majority of sexual assault and rape victims are female at 91 percent while male victims are just 9 percent.
In 8 out of 10 rape cases, perpetrators are always familiar to victims.
8 percent of the rape cases occur while victims are at workplaces (NSVRC, n.d.)
Child sexual abuse
Before turning to 18 years, one out of 4 girls and one out of 6 boys are always sexually abused.
About 30 percent of women were first completely raped at the age of eleven and seventeen.
Over one-third of women who report having been raped as a minor are also likely to be raped as an adult.
27.8 percent of men who reports about their first completed rape victimization is usually ten years and below.
34 percent of sexual abuse in children happens with family members.
12. 3 percent of women who reports about their first completed rape victimization are usually ten years and below ( NSVRC, n.d.).
Over percent of individuals who sexually abuse children are male while 77 percent of individuals who sexually assault children are adults.
Oprah Winfrey’s Biography
Oprah Winfrey is an American billionaire media giant and philanthropist. She was on 29 th January 1954 in a Kosciusko town in Mississippi. Her early life as an adolescent was greatly troubled since she was born in the farming community. Winfrey recalls how she was physically beaten as a child since it was a norm for African-American children. On top of this, she was also raped and molested severally from the ages of 9 to 14 by her mother’s friends until she got pregnant before her father a businessman and barber rescued her and took her to Nashville. After her A-level studies, she joined Tennessee State University in 1971 where she got an opportunity to work as a radio presenter and broadcaster at the television in Nashville ( Burkins et al., 2016 ).
She relocated to Baltimore Maryland around 1976 where she began to host a TV show chat “People Are Talking”. It only took her eight years to prove her talent and worthiness that landed her another job at Chicago TV station where she was allowed to run her own morning show, “A.M Chicago”. Blessed with an open and warm-heart, Winfrey managed to win over 100,000 viewers for a few months ( Burkins et al., 2016 ). Her success at the Chicago TV station made her earned her nationwide fame that made her secure a role in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film “The Color Purple” that made her win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
As the richest African American, Winfrey launched a network that she called Oprah’s Angel Network, which has collected over $50 million for charity programs that helped to reinstate victims who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina as well as South African girls’ education ( Burkins et al., 2016 ). She is a dedicated activist for children’s rights and in1994, a bill proposed by her to the Congress that could create a database of convicted child abusers was signed by President Clinton.
References
Burkins, J., Yaris, K., & Hoffmann-Thompson, K. (2016). College and Career Readiness in Middle School: From George Costanza to Oprah Winfrey. Voices from the Middle , 24 (2), 19.
NSVRC. (n.d.). Sexual Assault in the United States . Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics
Find Law. (n.d). New Jersey Sexual Assault Laws . Retrieved from https://statelaws.findlaw.com/new-jersey-law/new-jersey-sexual-assault-laws.html
Megans-Law. (n.d.). Registered Sex Offenders . Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20030603161826/www.megans-law.net/
RegisteredOffendersList. (n.d.). What is Pedophilia and why is it such an epidemic ? Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20180904200922/registeredoffenderslist.org/what-is-pedophilia.htm
