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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>75662</law_id><section_number>18.2-61</section_number><catch_line>Rape</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-1627.4</reference><reference>16.1-228</reference><reference>16.1-241</reference><reference>16.1-260</reference><reference>16.1-269.1</reference><reference>16.1-269.2</reference><reference>16.1-272</reference><reference>16.1-305</reference><reference>17.1-275.1</reference><reference>17.1-805</reference><reference>18.2-251.03</reference><reference>18.2-308.2</reference><reference>18.2-359</reference><reference>18.2-370.2</reference><reference>18.2-370.3</reference><reference>18.2-370.4</reference><reference>18.2-371</reference><reference>18.2-50.3</reference><reference>18.2-67.5:3</reference><reference>18.2-67.7:1</reference><reference>18.2-67.9</reference><reference>19.2-11.5</reference><reference>19.2-13</reference><reference>19.2-152.7:1</reference><reference>19.2-165.1</reference><reference>19.2-215.1</reference><reference>19.2-218.1</reference><reference>19.2-218.2</reference><reference>19.2-268.2</reference><reference>19.2-268.3</reference><reference>19.2-271.2</reference><reference>19.2-297.1</reference><reference>19.2-299</reference><reference>19.2-303</reference><reference>19.2-303.4</reference><reference>19.2-310.2</reference><reference>19.2-311</reference><reference>19.2-335</reference><reference>19.2-336</reference><reference>19.2-368.2</reference><reference>19.2-392.02</reference><reference>19.2-392.12</reference><reference>19.2-66</reference><reference>19.2-83.1</reference><reference>19.2-9.1</reference><reference>2.2-515.2</reference><reference>20-124.1</reference><reference>20-49.1</reference><reference>22.1-289.041</reference><reference>22.1-315</reference><reference>23.1-806</reference><reference>23.1-807</reference><reference>23.1-815</reference><reference>37.2-900</reference><reference>4.1-225</reference><reference>40.1-28.01</reference><reference>53.1-131.2</reference><reference>53.1-151</reference><reference>53.1-165.1</reference><reference>53.1-199</reference><reference>53.1-202.3</reference><reference>53.1-32</reference><reference>53.1-40.02</reference><reference>55.1-1236</reference><reference>63.2-1202</reference><reference>63.2-1222</reference><reference>63.2-1233</reference><reference>63.2-1509</reference><reference>63.2-1530</reference><reference>63.2-903</reference><reference>65.2-301</reference><reference>8.01-249</reference><reference>8.01-396.2</reference><reference>9.1-1301</reference><reference>9.1-139</reference><reference>9.1-145</reference><reference>9.1-902</reference><reference>9.1-923</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Crimes Against the Person</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Criminal Sexual Assault</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If any person has sexual intercourse with a <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>, whether or not his or her spouse, or causes a <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>, whether or not his or her spouse, to engage in sexual intercourse with any other person and such act is accomplished (i) against the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>&#x2019;s will, by force, threat or intimidation of or against the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> or another person; or (ii) through the use of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">mental incapacity</span> or <span class="dictionary">physical helplessness</span>; or (iii) with a child under age 13 as the victim, he or she shall be guilty of <span class="dictionary">rape</span>. <a id="paragraph-271744" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-61/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A violation of this section shall be punishable, in the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">jury</span>, by confinement in a state correctional facility for life or for any term not less than five years; and in addition: <a id="paragraph-271745" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-61/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> For a violation of clause (iii) of subsection A where the offender is more than three years older than the victim, if done in the commission of, or as part of the same course of conduct as, or as part of a common scheme or plan as a violation of (i) subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment" href="/18.2-47/">18.2-47</a> or &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose" href="/18.2-48/">18.2-48</a>, (ii) &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Burglary; how punished" href="/18.2-89/">18.2-89</a>, <a class="law" title="Entering dwelling house, etc., with intent to commit murder, rape, robbery or arson; penalty" href="/18.2-90/">18.2-90</a>, or <a class="law" title="Entering dwelling house, etc., with intent to commit larceny, assault and battery or other felony" href="/18.2-91/">18.2-91</a>, or (iii) &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Aggravated malicious wounding; penalty" href="/18.2-51.2/">18.2-51.2</a>, the punishment shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of 25 years; or <a id="paragraph-271746" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-61/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> For a violation of clause (iii) of subsection A where it is alleged in the <span class="dictionary">indictment</span> that the offender was 18 years of age or older at the time of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, the punishment shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement for life.
				The mandatory minimum terms of confinement prescribed for violations of this section shall be served consecutively with any other sentence. If the term of confinement imposed for any violation of clause (iii) of subsection A, where the offender is more than three years older than the victim, is for a term less than life imprisonment, the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall impose, in addition to any active sentence, a <span class="dictionary">suspended sentence</span> of no less than 40 years. This <span class="dictionary">suspended sentence</span> shall be suspended for the remainder of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s life, subject to <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>.
				There shall be a rebuttable <span class="dictionary">presumption</span> that a juvenile over the age of 10 but less than 12, does not possess the physical capacity to commit a violation of this section. In any case deemed appropriate by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, all or part of any sentence imposed for a violation under this section against a spouse may be suspended upon the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s completion of counseling or therapy, if not already provided, in the manner prescribed under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Preliminary hearings involving certain sexual crimes against spouses" href="/19.2-218.1/">19.2-218.1</a> if, after consideration of the views of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> and such other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> as may be relevant, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds such action will promote maintenance of the family unit and will be in the best interest of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>. <a id="paragraph-271747" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-61/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Upon a <span class="dictionary">finding</span> of guilt under this section, when a spouse is the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> in any case tried by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> without a <span class="dictionary">jury</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, without entering a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of guilt, upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> who has not previously had a proceeding against him for violation of this section dismissed pursuant to this subsection and with the consent of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> and the attorney for the Commonwealth, may defer further proceedings and place the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> on <span class="dictionary">probation</span> pending completion of counseling or therapy, if not already provided, in the manner prescribed under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Preliminary hearings involving certain sexual crimes against spouses" href="/19.2-218.1/">19.2-218.1</a>. If the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> fails to so complete such counseling or therapy, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may make final <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of the case and proceed as otherwise provided. If such counseling is completed as prescribed under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Preliminary hearings involving certain sexual crimes against spouses" href="/19.2-218.1/">19.2-218.1</a>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may discharge the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> and dismiss the proceedings against him if, after consideration of the views of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span> and such other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> as may be relevant, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds such action will promote maintenance of the family unit and be in the best interest of the <span class="dictionary">complaining witness</span>. <a id="paragraph-271748" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-61/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-44; 1960, c. 358; 1972, c. 394; 1975, cc. 14, 15, 606; 1981, c. 397; 1982, c. 506; 1986, c. 516; 1994, cc. 339, 772, 794; 1997, c. 330; 1999, c. 367; 2002, cc. 810, 818; 2005, c. 631; 2006, cc. 853, 914; 2012, cc. 575, 605; 2013, cc. 761, 774.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
