For the first time in 82 years, the FBI has broadened its definition of rape. The new definition will fall in line with those that most police departments in the country use, and will also remove the word "forcibly," among others. It will also now include rape by relatives and any type of nontraditional penetration.
The proposed new definition is "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," the Daily News reports.
Decades of activists' calling for changes to the definition have finally been heard. Many believed that the previous definition of the word discouraged victims from coming forward and also led to the undercounting of sexual-assault cases.
"It's a great victory," said Eleanor Smeal, president of Feminist Majority Foundation, which launched the campaign.
"This new definition will mean that, at long last, we will begin to see the full scope of this horrific violence, and that understanding will carry through to increased attention and resources for prevention and action."
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