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