2006 Ohio Revised Code - 2907.02. Rape.

§ 2907.02. Rape.
 

(A) (1)  No person shall engage in sexual conduct with another who is not the spouse of the offender or who is the spouse of the offender but is living separate and apart from the offender, when any of the following applies: 

(a) For the purpose of preventing resistance, the offender substantially impairs the other person's judgment or control by administering any drug, intoxicant, or controlled substance to the other person surreptitiously or by force, threat of force, or deception. 

(b) The other person is less than thirteen years of age, whether or not the offender knows the age of the other person. 

(c) The other person's ability to resist or consent is substantially impaired because of a mental or physical condition or because of advanced age, and the offender knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the other person's ability to resist or consent is substantially impaired because of a mental or physical condition or because of advanced age. 

(2) No person shall engage in sexual conduct with another when the offender purposely compels the other person to submit by force or threat of force. 

(B)  Whoever violates this section is guilty of rape, a felony of the first degree. If the offender under division (A)(1)(a) of this section substantially impairs the other person's judgment or control by administering any controlled substance described in section 3719.41 of the Revised Code to the other person surreptitiously or by force, threat of force, or deception, the prison term imposed upon the offender shall be one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree in section 2929.14 of the Revised Code that is not less than five years. If the offender under division (A)(1)(b) of this section purposely compels the victim to submit by force or threat of force or if the victim under division (A)(1)(b) of this section is less than ten years of age, whoever violates division (A)(1)(b) of this section shall be imprisoned for life. If the offender under division (A)(1)(b) of this section previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to violating division (A)(1)(b) of this section or to violating a law of another state or the United States that is substantially similar to division (A)(1)(b) of this section or if the offender during or immediately after the commission of the offense caused serious physical harm to the victim, whoever violates division (A)(1)(b) of this section shall be imprisoned for life or life without parole. 

(C)  A victim need not prove physical resistance to the offender in prosecutions under this section. 

(D)  Evidence of specific instances of the victim's sexual activity, opinion evidence of the victim's sexual activity, and reputation evidence of the victim's sexual activity shall not be admitted under this section unless it involves evidence of the origin of semen, pregnancy, or disease, or the victim's past sexual activity with the offender, and only to the extent that the court finds that the evidence is material to a fact at issue in the case and that its inflammatory or prejudicial nature does not outweigh its probative value. 
 

Evidence of specific instances of the defendant's sexual activity, opinion evidence of the defendant's sexual activity, and reputation evidence of the defendant's sexual activity shall not be admitted under this section unless it involves evidence of the origin of semen, pregnancy, or disease, the defendant's past sexual activity with the victim, or is admissible against the defendant under section 2945.59 of the Revised Code, and only to the extent that the court finds that the evidence is material to a fact at issue in the case and that its inflammatory or prejudicial nature does not outweigh its probative value. 

(E)  Prior to taking testimony or receiving evidence of any sexual activity of the victim or the defendant in a proceeding under this section, the court shall resolve the admissibility of the proposed evidence in a hearing in chambers, which shall be held at or before preliminary hearing and not less than three days before trial, or for good cause shown during the trial. 

(F)  Upon approval by the court, the victim may be represented by counsel in any hearing in chambers or other proceeding to resolve the admissibility of evidence. If the victim is indigent or otherwise is unable to obtain the services of counsel, the court, upon request, may appoint counsel to represent the victim without cost to the victim. 

(G)  It is not a defense to a charge under division (A)(2) of this section that the offender and the victim were married or were cohabiting at the time of the commission of the offense. 
 

HISTORY: 134 v H 511 (Eff 1-1-74); 136 v S 144 (Eff 8-27-75); 139 v S 199 (Eff 7-1-83); 141 v H 475 (Eff 3-7-86); 145 v S 31 (Eff 9-27-93); 146 v S 2 (Eff 7-1-96); 147 v H 32 (Eff 3-10-98); 149 v H 485. Eff 6-13-2002.
 

Not analogous to former RC § 2907.02 (RS § 6831; S&C 406; S&S 267, 268; 33 v 33; 60 v 85; 66 v 122; 83 v 81; 86 v 3; GC § 12433; 113 v 541; Bureau of Code Revision, 10-1-53; 131 v 673), repealed 134 v H 511, § 2, eff 1-1-74.

 

19xx Committee Report or Comment.

1974 Committee Comment to H 511

This section includes the traditional concept of rape as sexual intercourse with a female by force, but expands upon the offense in four important respects. 

First, the acts contemplated include anal intercourse, cunnilingus, and fellatio in addition to vaginal intercourse, because any of such acts can result in serious physical or psychic harm to the victim when committed under circumstances amounting to rape. 

Second, the section does away with distinctions of sex between offenders and victims, for the reason that homosexual and lesbian assaults can be as dangerous to victims as heterosexual assaults. 

Third, the section explicitly provides for rape by purposely drugging the victim or rendering the victim intoxicated. In this context, the section does not include the situation where a person plies his intended partner with drink or drugs in the hope that lowered inhibitions might lead to a liaison, since when the alcohol or drugs are voluntarily taken in the absence of force or deception, the consent of the "victim" can fairly be inferred. 

Fourth, the section designates as rape sexual conduct with a pre-puberty victim, regardless of whether force or drugs are used, and regardless of whether the offender has actual knowledge of the victim's age. The rationale for this is that the physical immaturity of a pre-puberty victim is not easily mistaken, and engaging in sexual conduct with such a person indicates vicious behavior on the part of the offender. 

Rape is a felony of the first degree, except that forcible rape of a victim under age 13 carries a penalty of life imprisonment.