The 1998 Legislature recognized the impact that violence can have on children, and doubled the penalties when domestic violence is witnessed by a child. RAPE Rape is an act of oral, anal or vaginal intercourse with a female done without her consent. Intercourse with a female under the age of 18, whether she is a voluntary participant or not, constitutes statutory rape. Another category of rape, known as male rape, was enacted by the 1989 legislature. Nonconsensual penal penetration, however slight, of the oral or anal opening of another male constitutes rape.
Rape is punishable by a minimum of one year imprisonment and up to life.
Evidence of a rape victim's previous sexual conduct is not admissible in court unless the judge determines after hearing that the victim's prior conduct is relevant. If such questioning is judge permitted, the court will control it. The perpetrator of lewd and lascivious conduct may be either male or female and the victim may be of either sex. The solicitation of children for sex or for sexually-oriented photography or recording is illegal. A second conviction constitutes a felony punishable by imprisonment up to five years.