THE PENAL ACT OF RAPE IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Rape as a complicated penal act that includes the usage of force, threats or promise is a phenomenon that is present in every form of society. It is influenced by many social, economic and cultural factors. Although this problematic demands much importance in the world, studies show that cases with this phenomenon are critically undervalued and underestimated. The main goal of this scientific paper is to study the phenomenon of rape, as a highly severe act of crime from the criminal`s law aspect and to compare the latter in a regional context and as a multidimensional phenomenon which affects every living society. Furthermore, this scientific paper will analyze cases of rape in the juridical territory of the Appeal Court of Gostivar, in the years from 2014 up to 2018. The verdicts of the Appeal Court of Gostivar will be analyzed and compared with each other.