Legal Definitions - ravishment

The term ravishment is an archaic legal term, meaning it is no longer commonly used in modern legal language. Historically, it referred to two primary actions:

• Forcible Abduction: The act of forcibly seizing and carrying away another person, particularly a woman, against their will. This is synonymous with abduction.
• Rape: In its second historical sense, ravishment referred to the crime of rape.

It is important to note that the term ravishment is now widely considered inappropriate for modern legal usage. This is because, in other contexts, the word carries romantic connotations of ecstasy or delight, which are entirely contradictory and offensive when referring to serious crimes like abduction or sexual assault. Historically, some legal texts, such as the Restatement (First) of Torts, defined it broadly to include not only rape but any form of criminal sexual intercourse.

Here are some examples illustrating the historical application of "ravishment":

• Imagine a historical account from the 18th century detailing a dispute between two powerful families. One family, seeking to prevent an arranged marriage, might have been accused of the "ravishment" of the bride-to-be, meaning they forcibly seized her from her home and carried her away to a remote location. In this context, "ravishment" refers specifically to the act of forcible abduction.

• In examining old legal documents from the 19th century, one might encounter a court indictment charging an individual with "ravishment" in a case involving sexual violence. Here, the term would have been used to describe the crime of rape or, more broadly, any form of criminal sexual intercourse, reflecting its historical application in such serious offenses. Modern legal language would now use precise terms like "sexual assault" or "rape" to avoid the problematic connotations of "ravishment."