[Sherman Logan]

FWIW, the Law of Moses had essentially the same provision.

Deuteronomy 22.

[trebb]

In Deut 22, it also says that "if they get caught" and that the man must marry her and cannot divorce her as long as he lives. It may be that it was considered "rape" to take a woman's virginity before she was married because the earlier part of the passages makes a big deal over virginity. The passage also says he HAS to marry her.

Of course, they did have the stoning to death for faking virginity and such. I find it interesting that the bloody sheet be used as proof of virginity - I wonder how many "sluts" were stoned to death because their hymen detached from physical exercise/labor...