Question: respond to the passage below using references to support your response.......Historically, rape laws in the United States required victims to demonstrate that they had physically
respond to the passage below using references to support your response.......Historically, rape laws in the United States required victims to demonstrate that they had physically resisted the assault or that they were of "good moral character" to be considered credible (Estrich, 1987). These requirements contributed to the idea that victims bore some responsibility for preventing the assault or that only certain "types" of victims were worthy of belief. Moreover, the legal system often prioritized the reputation of the accused over the trauma experienced by victims (Bumiller, 1988). These historical attitudes continue to influence modern-day investigations and prosecutions. Judges and juries may still hold biases about how a "real" victim should behave or look, which can affect perceptions of credibility (Schulhofer, 1998). For example, if a victim did not physically resist or delayed reporting, these factors may be unfairly interpreted as signs of dishonesty or consent, rather than as natural reactions to trauma (Campbell, 2008). This tendency reinforces victim blaming and contributes to the underreporting and under-prosecution of sexual violence
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