I don't think hold our legal system in particularly high regard. To point out that it is superior to medieval Sharia law is faint praise indeed.

A few years back, during the early years of AIDS, I heard of a case in Canada where a rapist was convicted, even though his crying victim managed to talk him into using on a condom. The judge sounded very sensible, unlike the Australian? judge mentioned somewhere above who thought tight pants that were slow to remove were relevant to the question of consent being obtained. We really need a better legal system.

I think it's horrible that some victims blame themselves for no reason, and I detest lawyers who do everything they can to help criminals avoid prosecution - not even the Blackwater mercenaries would ever stoop so low as to work for Al Queda or the Taliban, but a few lawyers like Johnny Cochrane seem to revel in helping horrible people, and our society openly rewards them for doing so.

Slightly related topic: I'd be interested in hearing what effect readily available porn would have on prison inmates' perception of safety, especially in single-occupancy per cell prisons.