Indian Government Calls Criminalization of Marital Rape 'Excessively Harsh'.

The Indian government has refused to recognize marital rape as a criminal offense, stating that it is an "overly harsh" and "disproportionate" approach. This marks the first official statement from the government regarding the abolition of the exemption for marital rape.

The government explained that although a husband has no right to violate a wife's consent, recognizing such a violation as "rape" within a marriage is considered too severe a measure.

India remains one of three dozen countries worldwide where prosecuting marital rape is prohibited, alongside Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia.

Arguments from Activists and the Government

Many activists and women's rights organizations emphasize that coerced sex is rape, regardless of who commits it. However, the Indian government, religious groups, and men's rights activists oppose any changes to the law. They argue that consent to sexual relations is "assumed" in marriage, and a wife cannot later withdraw it.

Protest Against Legislation in Iraq

A bill in Iraq that proposes allowing girls as young as nine to marry has sparked mass protests across the country. Activists claim it "legalizes child rape." Iraq already has a law prohibiting marriage before the age of 18, but it has been found that 28% of Iraqi girls marry before reaching adulthood.