7/28/2019 Lie Detector Tests for Rape Accusers Are Banned 1996

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/lie-detector-tests-for-rape-accusers-are-banned-1996 1/3

HOME P AGE TODA Y'S P APE R V IDEO M OS T P OPUL AR TIM ES TOP ICS M OS T RE CE NT HelpRegister NowLogin

Search All NYTimes.com

 

ADS BY GOOGLE

Lie-Detector Tests Are Banned on Victims Alleging Rape

By RAYMOND HERNANDEZPublished: March 06, 1996

Gov. George E. Pataki signed legislation today that prohibits law enforcement officials from

subjecting people who file rape complaints to polygraph tests.

The measure won approval in both the Senate and the Assembly last month after years of 

lobbying by victims' rights advocates, who argued that polygraph, or lie-detector, tests subject

rape victims to unwarranted shock and humiliation.

In signing the bill, the Governor said the previous law did not adequately protect victims

 because it merely barred the authorities from requiring a polygraph test before they wouldinvestigate allegations of rape.

"Survivors of sexual assault should not be victimized a second time with frequent and grossly 

insensitive requests to take a polygraph test," Governor Pataki said during a signing ceremony in

his Manhattan office at the World Trade Center. "This bill takes a long overdue step forward in

protecting the rights of sexual assault victims."

Experts say that law enforcement officials rarely use polygraph tests in rape cases, partly 

 because they usually have enough physical evidence to substantiate a victim's claim of rape.

ADS BY GOOGLE

Archives

COLLECTIONS > SEXUAL ASSAULT

SIGN IN TO E-

MAIL

PRINT

7/28/2019 Lie Detector Tests for Rape Accusers Are Banned 1996

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/lie-detector-tests-for-rape-accusers-are-banned-1996 2/3

But victims' rights advocates have long argued that the potential of being subjected to a

polygraph test discourages victims from reporting that they were raped.

"Passage of the new polygraph law is one important step toward creating a new climate of 

respectful treatment for victims of sexual violence," said Maud Easter, the executive director of 

the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault. "Polygraph tests have symbolized the

climate in which victims do not come forward because they do not expect to be believed."

Mr. Pataki said polygraph tests were particularly unreliable in rape cases because of the

emotional turmoil victims experience.

"As empirical studies show," he said, "the emotional responses manifested by victims of sexual

assault as they relive harrowing attacks during polygraph tests commonly result in false

conclusions that they are lying."

ADS BY GOOGLE

More Like This

Bill on Sexual Assaults

Shredding Document s to

Shield Victims of Sexual

 Assau lt

Bailey Says He Halted

Poly gra ph Test of Simpson

Find More Stories

Sexual Assault

7/28/2019 Lie Detector Tests for Rape Accusers Are Banned 1996

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/lie-detector-tests-for-rape-accusers-are-banned-1996 3/3

Home Times topics Member Center 

Copyright 2013 The New York Times Company Privacy Policy Help Contact Us Work for Us Site Map Index by Keyword