Italian court says jeans are no barrier to rape

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.

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

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

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