(740 ILCS 22/102)
Sec. 102.
Purpose.
Sexual assault is the most heinous crime against
another person short of murder. Sexual assault inflicts humiliation,
degradation, and terror
on victims. According to the FBI, a woman is raped every 6 minutes in
the United States. Rape is recognized as the most underreported crime;
estimates suggest that only one in seven rapes is reported to
authorities. Victims who do not report the crime still desire safety
and protection from future interactions with the offender. Some cases
in which the rape is reported are not prosecuted.
In these situations, the
victim should be able to seek a civil remedy requiring only that
the offender stay away from the victim.
(Source: P.A. 93-236, eff. 1-1-04.)
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