A broader definition of rape [View all]

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The language the advisory board crafted defines rape as a crime against a woman or man that involves any vaginal or anal penetration by any object or body part. It also includes oral sexual penetration as a rape act. It drops the word "forcibly," and states that these acts are a crime if they occur without consent.

This overdue change is not just symbolic. Academics, legislators and public officials rely on the statistics when crafting laws and setting policy. What's more, understating rape's occurrence, women's advocates say, not only misleads the public about the prevalence of the crime, but also hinders funding for enforcement and treatment programs.

"From a citizen's point of view, you can't monitor something if you can't measure it," said Carol Tracy, executive director of the Women's Law Project, who began lobbying the FBI to make the change 10 years ago.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-rape-20111222,0,5797126.story