Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Male rape to be made an offence

Monday 11 July 1994 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

LAST night's historic move in the House of Lords will see a new offence of male rape carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, the same as that for the rape of a woman.

The change to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill follows the decision to lower the age of consent for homosexuals from 21 to 18 and means the maximum penalty for buggery without consent will rise from 10 years. Female victims of non-consensual buggery will also benefit from the reform, introduced by Labour's Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede.

Earl Ferrers, a Home Office minister, told peers that the 10- year jail limit had inhibited the courts. 'It is quite clear that the courts regard non-consensual buggery of a woman as at least as serious as rape.' Rape will now be defined as 'sexual intercourse with a person (whether vaginal or anal) who at the time of the intercourse does not consent to it'. The reform will ban media identification of male victims while giving them some protection against questioning about previous sexual history.

Government defeat, page 6

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in