How the fuck is there a statute of limitations for rape in New York?

[Drich]

I know, but I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt regarding definitions and his argument. If you aren't found guilty of committing a crime, or for some reason cannot be convicted for a crime, was it still a crime?

One definition of "murder" is "the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another". So if the killing wasn't unlawful (because there was some statue of limitations preventing a conviction), is it still murder, or is it just a "killing".

The argument is an interesting one, though it's entirely based in semantics.

My argument is that "rape" has (at least) two meanings, one that relates to the legal situation, and one that is colloquial. If you have non-consensual sex with someone, you have raped them in a sense that most people understand (colloquially), even if you aren't viewed as having raped the person under the law because the rape wasn't reported in time (legally).

The killing or raping or whatever is still unlawful even if there's something that prevents charges from being brought up. I someone raped another person 50 years ago and cannot be brought up on charges because they're no longer living their actions were still unlawful. The same if someone raped someone 5 years ago and cannot be brought up on charges because the SoL has passed, the rape itself was still unlawful.

But here's the thing... It is only Unlawful for 5 years. after which time there is no measurable difference between lawful sex and unlawful sexual activity.