Rape Lawyers
Criminal Defense Lawyers Specializing in Rape
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Rape
Result: Acquittal
Court: Criminal Court
Complainant: Individual
Accusation: Rape
Rape Crime
Rape defense attorney
Rape is the aggravated conduct of the crime of sexual assault and is typified in Article 179 of the Penal Code.
The protected legal right is the sexual freedom of the individual and sexual indemnity in case the victims are minors or incapacitated persons.
This crime consists of carnal access by vaginal, anal, or oral means and the introduction of bodily members or objects by anal or vaginal means without consent. It is part of the crime of sexual assault, whereby the accused uses violence or intimidation to carry out the rape.
Rape differs from the basic type of sexual aggression in that, in this crime, the attack consists of carnal access by vaginal, anal, or oral means or introduction of objects and therefore constitutes the maximum gravity.
Rape occurs even if the sexual access is slight or brief.
The crime of sexual assault punishes those who attempt against the sexual freedom of another person using violence or intimidation. This is the main difference concerning the crime of sexual abuse since, in the latter, force or intimidation is not used to commission the crime.
In our law firm, we are experts in crimes against sexual freedom, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and rape. Numerous successful cases in criminal courts endorse our trajectory.
Esteban Criminal Lawyers
Expert criminal law firm in Barcelona with exclusive dedication to criminal law and acting throughout the country. Numerous successful cases endorse our trajectory. Call us and let’s talk about the best way to defend you.
Rape as an aggravated type of sexual assault.
Barcelona Rape attorney
Rape represents the maximum intensity of sexual assault crime. It constitutes an aggravated type of this crime and presents very similar characteristics but carries higher penalties.
The penalty for the basic type of sexual assault is one to five years in prison, but in the case of rape, the maximum aggravation penalty imposed is six to twelve years of imprisonment, which may be aggravated in some cases:
- When the violence or intimidation of the victim is of a particularly humiliating or degrading nature.
- When two or more persons intervene jointly in sexual aggression.
- When due to age, illness, disability, or situation, the victim is especially vulnerable.
- When the accused resorts to using weapons or other equally dangerous objects that could cause death or physical injury to the victim. If these damages exist, penalties for these crimes would be attributed.
- When carrying out sexual aggression, the accused has taken advantage of a relationship of superiority concerning the victim or kinship for being a relative or affinity of the victim.
- When sexual aggression has been committed by a criminal organization dedicated to such activities.
If any of these circumstances are met, the penalty for sexual assault is five to ten years of imprisonment, and, in the case of rape, a sentence of twelve to fifteen years corresponds.
If two or more of these premises are met, the penalties will be imposed in the upper half.
Due to the particular complexity of sexual crimes and the high prison sentences they carry, if you are involved in a rape crime, entrust your case to the best rape lawyer, Esteban Abogado Penalista. We will defend your freedom, your patrimony, and your honor, and we will seek, at all times, the most favorable solution for your interests.
Introduction of objects as an aggravating circumstance
The introduction of objects through the vagina or anus is another of the punishable conduct included in this crime, understanding as an object any inanimate thing used with an exclusively sexual purpose.
This conduct occurs when the rapist personally introduces the objects through one of these two ways, but also when he forces the victim to introduce them, using violence or intimidation to achieve it.
Consummation of the crime of sexual assault
For the consummation of sexual aggression, it is necessary to complete the illicit and sexual action carried out by the perpetrator. In other words, it is required to have bodily contact with the victim, regardless of whether or not there is erotic satisfaction.
In the case of rape, this bodily contact corresponds to carnal access through the vagina, anus, or mouth or the introduction of objects through the first two ways.
When there is no bodily contact between the accused and the victim, sexual aggression would be considered an attempt, with lesser penalties.
When does the crime of rape occur?
Specialized lawyer rape
For rape to exist, as stated in art. 179 of the Penal Code, there must be sexual aggression with violence or intimidation and the introduction of bodily members through the victim’s mouth, anus, or vagina.
The Supreme Court has specified in its Ruling 454/2021 when it is considered that there has been vaginal penetration. Sexual aggression will occur in the internal part of the female sexual area when it exceeds the horizontal plane of the victim’s sexual area, consisting of the intravaginal area and the internal part of the labia minora.
To be considered penetration, access to the internal female sexual area of the victim is sufficient, and consequently, there is no total and absolute penetration, but only partial penetration is enough to constitute rape under art. 179 PC and not aggression under art. 178 PC or sexual abuse if violence or intimidation is used.
Thus, however slight, the Supreme Court considers any excess beyond the horizontality of the superficial area as sufficient penetration or introduction and, therefore, rape.
Attorneys specializing in criminal law should be very aware of the distinction between these variants of crime because of their essential differences in determining the penalty.
Attempted Rape
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The attempt degree in this crime occurs when the sexual action is not consummated under any circumstance and there is no carnal access. Despite this, the accused must have previously attempted to perform such action and show the intention to do so.
The crime of rape is characterized by its intentional nature; the accused is always aware that he is committing an illegal act and violating the victim’s rights.
When the crime is not consummated, there may be doubt as to whether the accused would commit an assault or a rape, in which case it will be punished with the less serious crime following the principle «In dubio pro reo.»
Rape of minors under 16 years of age
Explained by our statutory rape attorney
If the victim of rape is under the age of sixteen, the penalties imposed are considerably more severe. In addition, it can be aggravated by certain circumstances:
- When the victim is in a helpless situation due to his or her low intellectual or physical development.
- When the victim is under four years of age.
- When any of the aggravating circumstances of the crime of sexual assault are met.
In our Law Firm, we are specialists in Criminal Law and experts in Crimes of Sexual Assault, with numerous successful cases that support us.
Violence or intimidation in the crime of rape
Our expert rape lawyer has extensive experience as a specialist in the field.
Violence or intimidation is a crucial aspect of sexual assault, especially rape. The victim opposes the sexual request of the rapist and, therefore, the accused resorts to force to achieve it.
The crimes of abuse and aggression attack the sexual freedom of the victim, and they differ in that in aggression, violence or intimidation is used to consummate the aggression. Therefore, the crime of sexual assault is more serious.
In rape, the perpetrator uses force to achieve carnal access or introduce objects. It should be noted that if the victim’s physical injury or even death occurs due to this violence, the perpetrator will be charged with other crimes besides rape.
Count on the best criminal lawyers in Barcelona with expertise in rape crimes.
Jurisprudence
Sentencia B-5 92/20
«Son requisitos, por tanto, de la infracción, la existencia de un contacto físico sobre el cuerpo de la víctima inconsentido por el sujeto pasivo verificado con ánimo libidinoso por el sujeto activo, que se verifica con violencia o intimidación para doblegar la voluntad de la víctima. El delito de agresión sexual, exige «1) un elemento objetivo de contacto corporal o tocamiento impúdico, siempre con significado sexual; 2) un elemento subjetivo o tendencial que viene siendo definido como «ánimo libidinoso» o propósito de obtener una satisfacción del apetito sexual del agente.
Como dice la STS de 7 de mayo de 1.998, se trata de un delito de tendencia que se consuma instantáneamente y por la sola ejecución del citado elemento objetivo aunque éste sea elemental o breve.
Por lo demás, y aun cuando el motivo no lo mencione, conviene señalar que cuando la acción consiste en esa clase de contactos corporales breves o elementales, el elemento determinante para incardinar el hecho en el tipo del abuso sexual -o la agresión sexual si interviene violencia o intimidación- o en la falta del art. 620.2º C.P., que castiga la amenaza, cocacción, injuria o vejación injusta de carácter leve, es el de la concurrencia o ausencia del ánimo lúbrico del sujeto activo, que debe estar presente en los tipos del art. 178 y 181 C.P. y ausente en la falta del 620.2º del mismo Código» ( STS 928/1999 de 4 de junio).
Con relación a la violencia, […]
Sentencia AP CS 1 39/18
«Los hechos que se declaran probados son constitutivos de un delito de agresión sexual, en su modalidad agravada de violación, previsto y penado en los arts. 178 y 179 CP , al concurrir todos y cada uno de los elementos objetivos y subjetivos que tipifican el delito.
Sobre lo que deba considerarse violencia o intimidación idóneas para integrar el tipo delictivo del art. 179 CP , la jurisprudencia ha ido perfilando cuáles deban ser sus caracteres esenciales, afirmando, por ejemplo, la STS 6 febrero 2006 , en la que se citan otras como las SSTS 23 septiembre 2002 y 26 enero 2004 , que «por violencia ha de entenderse el empleo de fuerza física y equivale a acometimiento, coacción o imposición material, e implica una agresión real más o menos violenta, o por medio de golpes, empujones, desgarros, es decir, fuerza eficaz y suficiente para vencer la voluntad de la víctima. Mientras que, la intimidación, es de naturaleza psíquica y requiere el empleo de cualquier fuerza de coacción, amenaza o amedrentamiento con un mal racional y fundado.
En ambos casos, han de ser idóneas para evitar que la víctima actúe según las pautas derivadas del ejercicio de su derecho de autodeterminación, idoneidad que dependerá del caso concreto, pues no basta examinar las características de la conducta del acusado sino que es necesario relacionarlas con las circunstancias de todo tipo que rodean su acción. Es preciso, en este sentido, que, expuesta […]