Rape is a sex crime that is defined as a person forcing sexual intercourse on someone else. Since sex is a very personal act, it requires the consent of two people. Consent for sex, according to the law, can only be given by a person who is at least 17 years old, and who is of sound mind, i.e., they cannot be drunk or mentally incapable of giving consent. While the law does allow – in certain situations – for legal sexual intercourse between an adult and a minor, it's unwise to venture down this path without first speaking to an experienced Long Island Rape Defense lawyer from Stephen Bilkis and Associates, PLLC.
According to recently released information, New York City and Long Island are seeing a rise in the number of sex crime, and in particular, rape crimes. Common forms of rape are Statutory rape and Spousal rape, with spousal rape usually involving some type of domestic violence.
Under the law, rape is a felony, and like most felony cases, a rape crime can vary in degrees. A person could be charged with First Degree Rape, Second Degree Rape or Third Degree Rape, depending on the prosecution and any extenuating circumstances. Regardless of the charge, being convicted of rape will likely get you some time in prison. These cases are prosecuted by the Nassau County District Attorney and the District Attorney of Suffolk County. These DA offices all have special bureaus set up specifically to handle sex crime cases, and they are usually very aggressive in their prosecution. This is why you'll need an equally aggressive Long Island Rape Lawyer to defend you should you find yourself accused of a sex crime such as sex with a minor, sodomy, an internet sex crime, solicitation, prostitution, forcible touching, or sexual abuse.
People hear about statutory rape cases quite often because the media likes to sensationalize them to boost their ratings. In cases like this, you'll usually hear stories about teachers having sexual relations with underage students. These stories make for good headlines and sell a lot of newspapers. While there may be a double standard in the eyes of the public when it comes to a female teacher having sex with a male student than if the genders were reversed, the District Attorney is likely to prosecute both male and females who are accused of statutory rape equally as sexual predators. This is because sex with a minor is a serious offense regardless of the gender of either party. If you've been charged with statutory rape, sex with a minor or sexual child abuse, it's vital that you say nothing to police or investigators until you've spoken to an experienced Long Island Rape Defense Lawyer.
While statutory rape gets a lot of media attention, so too does date rape. Date rape can be difficult to prosecute and defend because one person will claim that the sex was consensual while the other person may deny it. In addition, there is often alcohol involved in rape cases, which takes leads to a gray area regarding consent. If you're ever charged with date rape, or any other kind of rape such as spousal rape, it's vital that you discuss your case with our qualified Long Island Rape Defense Lawyer as soon as possible so they can discuss possible defense strategies with you.
To discuss your rape charge or any other criminal charge, call the office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates, PLLC at 800.696.9529. We will schedule a free consultation for you to meet with our skilled New York Sex Crime Lawyer. Our Long Island offices support our clients in Nassau County and Suffolk County. Our New York City offices serve clients throughout the five boroughs of New York City including Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Manhattan, as well as Westchester County.