Chicago Rape Defense Attorney
Rape Crimes and Punishments
Rape is defined as having sexual intercourse either by the use of force or the threat of force, or without legal consent, whether due to the victim being intoxicated, impaired or mentally incapable. In Illinois rape offenses are classified as criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, and are not generally called rape. Due to the severity of sex crimes, they are often heavily punished and relentlessly prosecuted. Charges of this kind are surrounded with a deep social stigma, and therefore can often be accompanied by feelings of anxiety, fear, emotional exhaustion, and alienation.
Many people are sympathetic to the alleged victim and do not bother to give the accused a fair hearing, rather making decisions purely on assumptions and emotional reaction. You will need a lawyer that is willing to meticulously examine the case to defend you with hard-hitting facts and inarguable evidence. To ensure that you are protected justly, hiring a rape defense lawyer is vitally important that as soon as you have been charged with a crime such as this that you contact a Chicago criminal defense attorney.
Statutory Rape Accusations
In addition to forceful or coercive sexual intercourse without proper consent, rape charges can be brought up in cases of statutory rape. When there is consent between the individuals but one – or both – of them are not of legal age, the act may be considered statutory rape. Even though this crime is considered quite controversial as there seems to be no criminal intent at all, most courts still uphold the law and issue severe punishment that is similar – if not identical – to other, more aggressive rape charges.
Punishments for Rape Charges
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you could be facing some of the most severe penalties of the law if you are convicted of rape.
As it is considered a felony in nearly all cases, some of the punishments you might be facing include:
- 3 to 30 years in prison
- $2500 to $25,000 fine
- Mandatory sexual offender registration
- Loss of employment
Most of the harshest forms of penalties are served to those who have been convicted of the rape of a minor or in cases of highly aggressive sexual assault. Additionally, punishment for statutory rape convictions tend to be less severe, if a skilled criminal defense attorney can argue for your defense.
Get Top Notch Lawyer Defense from Rape Accusations
If you are facing charges of rape or statutory rape, you will be facing some of the harshest penalties and persistent prosecution. Many times charges of this kind can be used as a form of revenge or an exercise of power, and should be exposed as such. I, attorney Mitch Furman, am here to help. With my years of experienced of being a lawyer my intimate knowledge of this area of the law, I am often able to help my clients successfully defend themselves against charges they are facing.
Contact my criminal defense firm in Chicago to discuss your rape charge today, I offer a free initial case evaluation.