Rape is usually defined as the act of forcing sexual intercourse upon an unwilling victim. In the United States, rape was traditionally considered an act that occurred only against females and only outside marriage. In recent decades, however, some states have broadened the legal definition to include other forms of sexual contact and to include spouses and males as possible victims. Legally, there are two kinds of rape, forcible and statutory, and both are treated as felonies in the United States. Forcible rape is defined as sexual intercourse with a nonconsenting victim through the use or the threat of force.
Statutory rape is defined as sexual intercourse with a person under a specified age.
This age varies from state to state and country to country but usually ranges from 12 to 18 years. Sexual intercourse with a person who is mentally deficient or unconscious and therefore incapable of giving consent is also sometimes considered statutory rape. The origin of rape laws can be traced to the once-widespread belief that women were the property of men. A female was considered first the property of her father. Because her virginity was valued as her principal asset, rape was considered a theft.