Marital Rape Exemptions are Discriminatory

More than half of the states in the United States have various laws that don't allow married rape victims to prosecute their spouse for raping them. (For instance in my home state of Washington, if you are married and raped by your spouse, as a married victim you are not allowed to 1) file charges against your husband for raping you if you are disabled and your spouse is your caregiver, or 2) file charges against your spouse if the rape falls within 3rd degree rape guidelines.) Certain states have different statutes of limitations as well, such as requiring significantly shorter reporting times for married persons, while offering much longer time to single rape victims to report having been raped. Those rules are not only discriminatory, but unfair as married persons often require more time to report the crime because often they share children and property with their rapist. Married rape victims not only suffer the additional emotional trauma with regard to how being raped by a spouse is a deeper betrayal of trust, but also have more to consider and more to prepare for with regard to separating themselves and their children from their rapist safely. Shorter reporting times for spousal rape victims are not only discriminatory, but are counter productive as in some cases, these laws force spousal rape victims to choose between reporting the crime or having themselves and their children safely out of the home. Laws or rules that separate rape victims into two groups - married vs unmarried - are discriminatory. Having different laws for each group is discriminatory. Not allowing rape victims equal access to the justice system solely because they are married to the person that raped them, is discriminatory. We are asking that the federal government formally declare this distinction between married and unmarried rape victims, and their resulting selective laws and rules as discriminatory, and force all states bearing these discriminatory laws aimed at rape victims to remove them so ALL victims of rape have the same access to the justice system, reporting requirements, and statute of limitations, regardless of marital status.