Women, the Law, and Cults:  Three Avenues of Legal Recourse--New Rape Laws, Violence Against Women Act, and Antistalking Laws

Robin A. Boyle, J.D.

St. John’s University School of Law
And Fordham University’s College of Liberal Studies

Abstract

The author examines three avenues of  legal recourse that are available to society at large, but may not be well-known to women in cults, their families, and their potential mental health providers.  These avenues for recourse are improved rape laws now available in every state; recently-enacted federal legislation--the 1994 Violence Against Women Act; and recently-enacted state and federal antistalking laws.  The author developed this article from her speech delivered at the annual American Family Foundation conference on May 30, 1997, in Philadelphia, PA.

Acknowledgements

The author thanks three law students who were particularly helpful in compiling the research for this article:  David Donahue, Krista McManus, and Marta Pulaski.  In addition,  special appreciation goes to the following lawyers for their assistance with this article:  Paul Skip Laisure, Esq., for sharing his views as a criminal defense attorney; Prof. Samuel Levine, for sharing his views as a former assistant district attorney; Mary R. O’Donoghue, Esq., Special Assistant to the United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, who provided a box full of useful material; and Herbert Rosedale, Esq., President of AFF, who provided helpful guidance and inspiration.

The author developed this article from her speech delivered at the annual American Family Foundation conference on May 30, 1997 in Philadelphia, PA.

Robin A. Boyle, J.D., is an assistant legal writing professor at St. John’s University School of Law in New York and a lecturer of Women and the Law at Fordham University’s College of Liberal Studies, also in New York.