Law Commons^™

The 2020 Supreme Court Term In The Shadow Of Blm, Metoo, And The Notorious Rbg, Rachel A. Van Cleave

Publications

The upcoming Supreme Court term comes in the context of widespread protests about police violence, the criminal (in)justice system, continuing fallout from the #MeToo movement, and the death of iconic Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The court has agreed to hear cases that involve the enduring white supremist legacy of a Louisiana law that allowed for non-unanimous jury criminal convictions, standards for evaluating excessive use of force by police, what is required to sentence a juvenile to life without parole, and military sexual violence.

It is imperative that the Court acknowledge the difficult truths that Black Lives Matter protesters, …

#Metoo And The Pursuit Of Women's International Human Rights, Benedetta Faedi Duramy

Publications

IN THE PAST YEAR, high profile cases and the ensuing #MeToo movement have raised much attention on issues surrounding gender discrimination, violence against women, and sexual harassment in the workplace. In the United States, allegations of sexual assault and harassment spawned the deposition or resignation of prominent figures in the entertainment, media, dining, and business industries following the onset of the #MeToo social media movement.' In the rest of the world, many people also embraced the online crusade by sharing the hashtag millions of times or creating their own versions of it. Feminists and scholars have since attempted to keep …

Sudden, Forced, And Unwanted Kisses In The #Metoo Era: Why A Kiss Is Not “Just A Kiss” Under Italian Sexual Violence Law, Rachel A. Van Cleave

Publications

#MeToo reports have revealed a significant number of forced kisses typically by men in positions of authority. Previous scholarship in the US has viewed such instances as to rare or too minor to be worthy of criminal sanctions. Indeed, there are no such reported criminal cases involving adults. However, in Italy, the Supreme Court of Cassazione has upheld sexual violence convictions for such forced kisses. This article analyzes these cases and investigates the types of considerations the Italian Supreme Court includes in its evaluation of these situations. This article also suggests specific aspects of US laws that could benefit from …

What Italian Sexual Violence Law Can Teach Us Law In The #Metoo Era, Rachel A. Van Cleave

Publications

On International Women’s Day, with women facing challenges on equal pay, reproductive rights, sexual harassment and violent sexual assault, the topic of sudden, forced and unwanted kisses initially seems trivial, unworthy of consideration. However, Alva Johnson’s recent civil complaint against Donald Trump for kissing her on the side of her mouth, raises the question of whether such conduct should be criminal in the United States.