§ VI. On Raptus

Raptus in the theological sense, and for the internal forum, is violence inflicted upon a person, or upon those under whose power the person is, for the sake of satisfying lust. - But in the sense used in the external forum, it is the abduction of a person from a safe place to an unsafe place, through force inflicted upon that person or upon those under whose power the person is, for the sake of satisfying lust or contracting marriage. - Cf. Sanchez, de Matrim., lib. 7, disp. 12, n. 30.

Violence in each definition is understood as either physical or moral, or inflicted through grave fear; but the person, as to theological fault, is understood to be any person, male or female, unmarried, married, or widowed, honorable or a prostitute; as to the external forum and penalties to be undergone, also any person, provided the person is of honorable life. - Hence in every stuprum the malice of raptus is found, but not vice versa. These things having been noted:

I say 1st. Raptus is a special sin, although the wicked act of lust does not follow; and it consists chiefly in the injury which is inflicted through violence inflicted for the sake of lust. Wherefore the circumstance of raptus is necessarily to be disclosed in confession, whether fornication, adultery, etc., follows, or whether it does not follow.

I say 2nd. It is not to be judged raptus if the woman fully consents both to the abduction and to the violation, unless nevertheless she is a minor and at the same time her parents or guardians or curators suffer this unwillingly. But raptus will be present if she gives consent only to the abduction and not to the violation, or to the violation and not to the abduction. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 444.