# Can I legally refuse to feed Rachel Leigh Cook unless she sleeps with me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758 "2003-05-16T19:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cole\_burner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@cole\_burner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cole_burner)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/1 "2003-05-16T19:50:00Z")
Here’s the scenario: Rachel Leigh Cook and I are the only survivors of a plane wreck, ending up on an island as seen in Tom Hanks’s “Castaway” or maybe “Lord of the Flies.” It’s a lot of work to either hunt wild boar or spear crabs. I’m willing to do it if Rachel is willing to sleep with me, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to hunt and fish to feed someone who isn’t going to give up da booty. Am I breaking any laws by refusing to feed her and letting her figure out how to get me to change my mind? I assume if I just lay out the deal it’s a prostitution violation. But is there any law (let’s say the isalnd is US territory) that says I have to feed her? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/2 "2003-05-16T19:52:55Z")
No. It’s still a form of sexual coersion. She, however, _may_ be legally entitled to bash your skull in with a rock for trying to coerce her. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/3 "2003-05-16T19:57:04Z")
If she has the choice of sleeping with you or starving to death, it sounds like rape to me. You’ve taken away any meaningful ability for her to consent. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/4 "2003-05-16T20:13:36Z")
Well, she also has the choice to hunt for her own damn boar. 🙂 So it’s not actually coersion…more of a contractual exchange. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/5 "2003-05-16T20:19:25Z")
Shoot…she’d be skinning wild boar with a pocket comb just to have the pleasure of hanging with ol’ Duke! Peel me a grape, will ya Rachel?? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/6 "2003-05-16T20:24:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skammer \* > \*\*If she has the choice of sleeping with you or starving to death, it sounds like rape to me. You’ve taken away any meaningful ability for her to consent. \*\* What does the law say rape is? Does this conduct meet that definition? This is a GQ. ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/7 "2003-05-16T20:55:24Z")
Well, you’re trading food for sex, so at the very least you’re pandering if she goes through with it. There is no law on the books that says that you have to feed anybody else. If you actively prevent her from finding her own food, I imagine you could be guilty of kidnapping/false imprisonment, depending on your methods. IANAL. -lv ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/8 "2003-05-16T21:18:02Z")
“I’ll only sleep with you if you give me crabs.” Now _there’s_ a first. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/9 "2003-05-16T21:34:35Z")
[slight hijack] What if Rachel does not have the skill required to hunt for her own food and will starve without **cole burner** ’s help, and he will only help her in exchange for sex? What’s the worst (or most likely) charges **cole burner** will receive?[/slight hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/10 "2003-05-16T21:45:44Z")
Is not the fact that Rachel does not have the skill to hunt for food a separate issue from the ethical rights and wrongs of **cole burner** ’s offer of food for sex? (Who the hell is Rachel Leigh Cook anyway?) ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/11 "2003-05-16T21:52:46Z")
Flavor-of-the-Month, evidently. _Josie and the Pussycats_. [http://www.imdb.com/Bio?Cook,%20Rachael%20Leigh](http://www.imdb.com/Bio?Cook,%20Rachael%20Leigh) I never heard of her, either. ---
**Author:** ![Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conflict_of_Interest)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/12 "2003-05-16T21:54:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by x-ray vision \* > \*\*[slight hijack] What if Rachel does not have the skill required to hunt for her own food and will starve without **cole burner** ’s help, and he will only help her in exchange for sex? What’s the worst (or most likely) charges **cole burner** will receive?[/slight hijack] \*\* I would think no charges. She can’t force him to hunt and gather for him any more than he can force anything from her. However, if she wants to eat off hhis labors then he can ask that she pay for it. In this case he is asking for sex. She can say no and hunt for herself is she would rather. Where is the rape in that situation? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/13 "2003-05-16T22:02:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*(Who the hell is Rachel Leigh Cook anyway?) \*\* I think [this](http://slate.msn.com/id/103194/) is a pretty good photo of her. Under Texas law (if you find out you were on South Padre island all along, like Uncle Duke), solicitation of prostitution if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/14 "2003-05-16T22:02:46Z")
Ok, IANAL of course but here’s how I see the situation. You’re stuck on an island. You can hunt with relative ease, for her it’s more difficult. Unless you give her food she will starve. You will only give her food if she sleeps with you. So remove you from the picture. If you weren’t there at all, she would starve. Nobody’s fault but hers. So why should that be different if you WERE there? If I have money, my neighbor doesn’t, and he’s gonna starve, does that mean I HAVE to buy him food? We’re both still on an island, just a rather larger one. Far as I know, there is no law that says you HAVE to help someone else find food. If there were, would we have so many starving people? Is it actually a CRIME to drive past a ‘will work for food’ sign-holder without giving them food? I really, really doubt it. Of course you’re not going to help her just out of the kindness of your heart; I presume you’re an American. q;} If you were to actively PREVENT her from hunting/gathering/whatever, that would be ‘illegal’. But doing nothing whatsoever to help shouldn’t be. Now, she has to make a choice… does she willingly starve to death, or does she offer sex in exchange for food? Seems to me that SHE is the one breaking the law, if anybody could be said to do so in this kind of situation. You offer a reasonably legal commodity in trade… she offers something commonly considered illegal to sell. Now for a dose of realism… if you’re on a deserted island, presumably you’re in international waters. If so, there IS NO LAW. Go for it. And besides, I doubt anybody would really prosecute you for anything you did while struggling to survive on a desert island. “Welcome back to civilization. Here’s your cell for the next 20 years.” Why bother resucing me in the first place, dammit!! ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/15 "2003-05-16T22:03:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*originally posted by \ ***Mangetout** > > Is not the fact that Rachel does not have the skill to hunt for food a separate issue from the ethical rights and wrongs of cole burner’s offer of food for sex? Well I think the difference would (or should in my opinion) affect what **cole burner** would be charged with. If he doesn’t do her hunting for her because she won’t have sex with him and she is capable of hunting herself, I don’t think that would be a big deal. However, if he doesn’t share food with her for the same reason and she starves to death I would think he would be in big trouble. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/16 "2003-05-16T22:08:37Z")
Don’t you guys know about the good sumaritan law? Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine got sent up the river for ten years for not helping someone! ---
**Author:** ![Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conflict_of_Interest)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/17 "2003-05-16T22:12:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by x-ray vision \* > \*\*Well I think the difference would (or should in my opinion) affect what **cole burner** would be charged with. If he doesn’t do her hunting for her because she won’t have sex with him and she is capable of hunting herself, I don’t think that would be a big deal. However, if he doesn’t share food with her for the same reason and she starves to death I would think he would be in big trouble. \*\* Why? What law has be broken? I mean, people may see him as a real slime but is there a law against that? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/18 "2003-05-16T22:20:23Z")
I gather that the OP intended to imply that Ms. Cook does not have the ability to hunt and fish and feed herself. And I can’t tell if **x-ray vision** is being serious or not in bring up the “Good Samaritan” law under which George, Jerry, Kramer and Elaine were charged. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/19 "2003-05-16T22:23:56Z")
I don’t know. Any lawyers in the house with the answer? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758/20 "2003-05-16T22:27:03Z")
Half serious **Bricker**. Thier must be some law that doesn’t allow one to let someone die when you can easily help that person. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-legally-refuse-to-feed-rachel-leigh-cook-unless-she-sleeps-with-me/175758.md?page=2)