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#MeToo Forces NC Lawmakers Out Of The Dark Ages

WUNC | By Anita Rao,
Dana Terry
Published November 6, 2019 at 12:22 PM EST
Once SB 199 is signed by Governor Cooper, it will be legal for someone to revoke consent after sex has begun.
Once SB 199 is signed by Governor Cooper, it will be legal for someone to revoke consent after sex has begun.

North Carolina seeks to close antiquated loopholes in sexual assault laws and add more protections for child abuse victims.

Anita Rao talks with Carolina Public Press Lead Investigative Reporter Kate Martin about legislation SB 199 which seeks to close antiquated loopholes in sexual assault laws and add more protections for child abuse victims.

SB 199, which passed the Senate and House last week and currently awaits Governor Roy Cooper’s signature, undoes 40-year-old Supreme Court decision that declared a victim can not revoke consent after sex has begun. The bill also changes the definition of "mentally incapacitated" in regards to sex and makes drugging someone’s drink illegal. Though this new bill received unanimous bipartisan support, that was not the case five years ago when Senator Jeff Jackson (D-Mecklenburg) introduced an early version of it.

Carolina Public Press Lead Investigative Reporter Kate Martin has taken a deep dive into sexual assault laws and convictions in North Carolina for the series “Seeking Conviction." In conjunction with 11 other local news outlets, Martin was part of a team that went county by county talking to victims, prosecutors, police and medical staff. She joins host Anita Rao to share what the research reveals about rape convictions in North Carolina and how SB 199 may change outcomes for victims.

Copyright 2019 North Carolina Public Radio
Anita Rao
Anita Rao is the host and creator of "Embodied," a live, weekly radio show and seasonal podcast about sex, relationships & health. She's also the managing editor of WUNC's on-demand content. She has traveled the country recording interviews for the Peabody Award-winning StoryCorps production department, founded and launched a podcast about millennial feminism in the South, and served as the managing editor and regular host of "The State of Things," North Carolina Public Radio's flagship daily, live talk show. Anita was born in a small coal-mining town in Northeast England but spent most of her life growing up in Iowa and has a fond affection for the Midwest.
See stories by Anita Rao
Dana Terry
Dana is an award-winning producer who began as a personality at Rock 92. Once she started creating content for morning shows, she developed a love for producing. Dana has written and produced for local and syndicated commercial radio for over a decade. WUNC is her debut into public radio and she’s excited to tell deeper, richer stories.
See stories by Dana Terry