All in all, without rape shield laws, women would continue to be scrutinized in courtrooms during their rape trials. Not only would an increase in reporting rapes increase, but women would stick to that they were raped out of feeling comfortable to be able to enter a courtroom not feeling as guilty and embarrassed as they would have felt before the rape shield laws were enacted. Women are now given a fairer trial due to these shield laws because they prevent a woman’s past sexual history to be revealed, unless under certain special circumstance apply as mentioned earlier. Women should not have to fear that because she sleeps with multiple partners, or leads a life of prostitution, or if she dresses a certain way that she deserved to be work. The reality is that no one deserves to be raped, and rape shield laws strengthen makes this reality now even stronger.
50b
Byrden, David P., Lengnick, Sonja. “The Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology”.
Vol. 87. Issue 4, Summer97.
Gilbeaut, John. “Shield a Prosecution Sword”. The New York Times. Vol.33. Issue 3.
January 24, 2000, 32.
Pennie, Mitchell. “Rape Law and Legislation”. Herizons., Vol.13. Issue 1. Spring99,
12.
Rohde, David. “Call for New Sex-Abuse Trial Said to Harm Rape Shield Law”. The N New York Times. Vol.149. Issue 51743. December 23, 1999