New York Governor Signs Law Redefining Rape, Praises Trump Accuser

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday signed into law a bill that broadens the legal definition of rape, with a special nod to the woman whose rape accusation against former President Donald Trump was rejected by a jury. The previous definition strictly limited rape to vaginal penetration. The new law removes the penetration requirement from the rape statutes and redefines the crime to include oral and anal sexual conduct contact, which are now referred to as “criminal sexual act.” “Roughly 90 percent of rape survivors are women, but the problem is rape is very difficult to prosecute. That’s because New York’s archaic laws define rape in very narrow terms,” Ms. Hochul said. “Physical technicalities confuse jurors and humiliate survivors and create a legal gray area that defendants exploit.”...