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Under Alabama rape law what does forcible compulsion mean?



Rape is sex with a woman which is accomplished without her consent or without her ability to consent.

When the term "forcible compulsion" is used, it means either  physical force that overcomes earnest resistance or a threat, express or implied, that places a person in fear of immediate death or serious physical injury to herself or another person.

But forcible compulsion also applies when a defendant-that is the accused person, is in a position of domination and control over a child with her or not the person is the child's parent. In other words, an authority figure can be held to have used "forcible compulsion just by virtue of their being determined to be in any kind of position of dominion and control over the child. Thus, a schoolteacher or a coach or a babysitter or any other adult "authority figure" can be found to have used "forcible compulsion" simply by the nature of the relationship between that adult and the child.

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