Group wants new definition for rape

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - On a warm August day a man walking late at night on the 1800 block of East Michigan called 911. The man told police he was knocked unconscious and raped.

Investigators are reviewing his case but instead of labeling it as a rape investigators are classifying the crime as criminal deviate conduct.

Indiana’s law defines rape as sexual intercourse without consent between two people of the opposite sex. All other sexual assaults fall under the criminal deviant conduct.

Both crimes are Class A felonies and carry the same amount of prison time. Despite that, the Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assaults calls the Hoosier definition of rape out of touch.

It’s estimated that 247,000 Hoosier men have been raped in their lifetime.

The group wants the law changed to more modern language recently adopted by the FBI. The FBI’s standard is that any form of penetration is considered rape no matter the gender.

Over the next couple of months the Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault will brainstorm ways to push for changes in the state definition of rape.

No state legislature has decided to take this issue on to change the definition; however, House Minority Leader Linda Lawson told 24-Hour News Eight the definition should apply to anyone who has been penetrated without consent.