Italian court says jeans are no barrier to rape

Ruling against man who argued crime impossible because she wore jeans

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updated 6:21 p.m. ET July 22, 2008

ROME - It was less than a decade ago that Italy’s top criminal court ruled that it was impossible to rape a woman who was wearing jeans. The court concluded back then that nobody could forcibly remove a woman’s jeans unless she cooperated.

Since then, the court has changed its mind.

It has now upheld the sexual assault conviction of a man who argued that it would have been impossible to carry out the attack on a teenager because the girl had been seated and wearing jeans at the time.

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The court says the jeans were "no chastity belt."

The opposite ruling nine years ago prompted outrage across Italy’s political spectrum.