McCaskill camp: Before "legitimate" rape, Todd Akin wanted to redefine rape

(From the Claire McCaskill campaign)

In 2011, before Todd Akin received national attention for saying that only some rapes were “legitimate,” Akin co-sponsored legislation that would redefine the definition of rape, so the law only applied in some instances to say “forcible rape.” This bill, coupled with Akin’s offensive remarks in August, paint a picture of a man who views survivors of sexual assault with a skeptical eye.

Akin Co-Sponsored Bill to Redefine Rape. In 2011, Akin co-sponsored the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortions Act, which would redefine a ban on federal funding for abortions to exempt only “forcible rape” and not “rape” generally. Under the language proposed by the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortions Act, rape becomes “forcible rape.” The Washington Post reported that the bill’s critics believed “the modifier could distinguish it from other kinds of sexual assault that are typically recognized as rape, including statutory rape and attacks that occur because of drugs or verbal threats.” [HR 3 Co-Sponsors, 112th Congress; Washington Post, 2/01/11]

“This bill offers a disturbing look into the mind of Todd Akin, a man who believes there are shades of rape that need to be qualified,” said Caitlin Legacki, McCaskill for Missouri spokeswoman. “The bottom line is that rape is rape. Simply put, Todd Akin’s beliefs would hurt many women and are just too extreme for Missouri.”