I was just on the "relationships" sub-reddit, a woman was posting how her boyfriend had started having sex with her a few times when she was asleep. Everyone was telling her she was being raped.

I am not here to defend the guy and am aware that "rape" between spouses can happen.

However I questioned whether so many would be saying rape if it was the girlfriend having sex with her boyfriend when asleep which provoked a lot of angry replies until eventually my comment was deleted.

I also found it slightly unrealistic that there is no nuance or context allowed, so apparently it doesn't matter at all if they are partners? To simply say "rape is rape" you are essentially saying a man grabbing a woman off the street and raping her is the same legal and ethical crime as a woman initiating sex with her husband when he appears to be asleep. That they should both face a life sentence in prison.

Equally a man who grabs a woman off the street and puts his fingers in her vagina or anus would be the same as a women touching her boyfriends penis when he appears to be asleep because "sexual assault is sexual assault".

I have a male friend who woke up in a hostel with a naked woman he barely knew on top of him having sex with him. They were not even partners. I know lots of men have had similar things. If "rape is rape" then far far more women should be in prison right now (as-well as some more men).

I know for a fact that people do not really believe that a woman having sex with a man who is asleep (let alone their partner) is the same legal and ethical crime as someone grabbing a woman off the street and raping her, so why pretend they see it all the same and "rape is simply rape"?