Friday, May 25, 2007
Sex crimes bill welcomed
23 May 2007
Gender activists have welcomed the National Assembly's decision to approve South Africa's new Sexual Offences Bill, which is set to change the way the country's courts deal with rape cases - and widens the definition of rape to cover both men and women.
This means that "forced penetration" will be taken to encompass both anal and vaginal penetration, and will include penetration by any object. Forced oral sex will also amount to rape under the new law.
Lisa Vetten of the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre said it was good news that the long-awaited bill, which codifies and modernises South African law relating to sexual offences, was moving again.
However, Vetten warned against seeing the bill as a cure-all for the ills in the criminal justice system in its response to rape.
read full article: http://www.southafrica.info/public_services/citizens/your_rights/sexual-offences-bill2.htm
Gender activists have welcomed the National Assembly's decision to approve South Africa's new Sexual Offences Bill, which is set to change the way the country's courts deal with rape cases - and widens the definition of rape to cover both men and women.
This means that "forced penetration" will be taken to encompass both anal and vaginal penetration, and will include penetration by any object. Forced oral sex will also amount to rape under the new law.
Lisa Vetten of the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre said it was good news that the long-awaited bill, which codifies and modernises South African law relating to sexual offences, was moving again.
However, Vetten warned against seeing the bill as a cure-all for the ills in the criminal justice system in its response to rape.
read full article: http://www.southafrica.info/public_services/citizens/your_rights/sexual-offences-bill2.htm
