The Code of Shame: Stigmatisation of Male Rape Victims in Bangladesh
On March 8, 2025, a 20-year-old man was allegedly raped by his neighbour in the Narayanganj District of Bangladesh. Following this heinous incident, the victim’s mother filed a case against...
Sexual Offences Will Never Be The Same Again: The Embrace Projects tackles the definition of rape in South Africa (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this blog, I explained how the High Court of South Africa came to decide that certain provisions of the Sexual Offences Act were “unconstitutional…to the extent...
Sexual Offences Will Never Be The Same Again: The Embrace Projects tackles the definition of rape in South Africa (Part 1)
In The Embrace Project v Minister of Justice, the High Court of South Africa in Pretoria declared unconstitutional an unreasonable belief in consent when prosecuting sexual offences in South Africa....
Discarding the Marital Rape Exemption: From Fundamental Rights to Vulnerability Theory
Recently, in Gorakhnth Sharma v. State of Chhattisgarh, the Chhattisgarh High Court acquitted a man, who allegedly forced anal intercourse on his wife resulting in fatal injuries, of all charges...
Love, Lies, and the Law: The Quandary of Criminalising False Promise to Marry in India
Indian law is notorious for censuring sexuality outside of marriage, especially for women. A pertinent example is the criminalisation of a ‘false promise to marry’ (FPM) as rape, which recent...
Beyond the Grave: Addressing Necrophilia in India’s Legal Landscape
In a horrifying case from Karnataka, India, a young woman was murdered & raped in 2015. Following the trial, the accused person was found guilty by the Sessions Court (a...
Consent and Condoms: The Supreme Court of Canada’s Decision in R v Kirkpatrick
Image Description: The Supreme Court of Canada Building. If you tell your sexual partner that you will only consent to sex if they wear a condom and they do not...
The Supreme Court of India Reiterates that Two-finger Virginity Test Must Not Be Conducted
Image Description: A gloved hand holding a Petri dish in a scientific environment. On 3rd October 2022, the Supreme Court of India, once again, restated that the two-finger test or...
365 Days to Access Justice: Nepal’s Precarious Rape Law Provision
Image Description: A poster which says ‘End Violence Against Women’ in block letters. The statute of limitation to file a complaint, in the case of rape in Nepal, forms part...
Anti-Libidinal Punishment for Child Rape Offenders in Nigeria violates Human Rights
Image description: Surgical instruments. In September 2020, the Governor of Kaduna State of Nigeria signed the Kaduna State Penal Code (Amendment) Law 2020, which introduces anti-libidinal punishments for child rape...
South Africa calls for comments on progressive GBV Bill
Structural and legislative innovations aim to respond to gender-based violence plaguing South Africa. Recently, the “Victim Support Services Bill” (“Bill”) was presented for public comment. The Bill aims to address...
