In the UK, only men can be charged with rape.

MechPlasma · 2012-09-27T21:47:05+00:00

That's funny. Because literally as you were making this, I was saying that same thing in a new topic about Irish law!

But yeah, this is completely real. If it's not by a man, then it counts as sexual assault. Which I believe does have the same sentencing, but... y'know, it's still a law saying "It's only rape if you have a penis".

The worst part was that it's actually a recent law too, for Scotland. It was made in 2009!

unexpecteditem · 2012-09-27T22:28:07+00:00

Interesting article about the new Sexual Offences Act here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3672591.stm

It turns out the government made a law criminalizing sexual intercourse between minors, no matter how consensual, but then mandated the executors of the law not to apply it.

cronus85 · 2012-09-27T23:52:04+00:00

New Zealand is also the same, I would expect most of the commonwealth. NZ law below:

Person A rapes person B if person A has sexual connection with person B, effected by the penetration of person B's genitalia by person A's penis,—

(a) without person B's consent to the connection; and (b) without believing on reasonable grounds that person B consents to the connection

JamesRyder · 2012-09-27T23:37:16+00:00

The English legal system has a lot of archaic holdovers.

The reason this law was passed was to allow for guidelines on sentencing for minor on minor sexual assaults, but of course it is theoretically possible for two 15 year olds to have sex and it be considered illegal under this law, but in that case the judges would not prosecute. The same goes for sexting, it is technically classed as child pornography but there have been cases of 17 year olds sending pictures to 18 year olds and no prosecution was sought.

It's a way to keep laws simple by basically making them very strict guidelines but allowing the judges to use their discretion in some cases. Generally the question is asked "is this trial in the public interest?" In the case of a deviant juvenile sexually assaulting somebody who has then received a psychiatric evaluation deeming him as a risk, the answer would probably be yes. But a couple of similarly aged juveniles near the age of consent would almost certainly not result in a criminal prosecution.

yum_muesli · 2012-09-28T14:07:21+00:00

Put the pitchforks down. If this isn't a sensationalist title I don't know what is.

This is the equivalent charge that a woman can be charged with. It is very similar to the rape charge in almost all but name.

BGoodRBCareful · 2012-09-28T01:44:41+00:00

Is anyone familiar enough with English law regarding section 2, as it pertains to 1-1c?

(2) Whether a belief is reasonable is to be determined having regard to all the circumstances, including any steps A has taken to ascertain whether B consents.

Doesn't that mean "regret" allegation is considered?

Rammsteiner42 · 2012-09-28T05:27:55+00:00

It's the same in North Carolina, USA.

2012-09-28T06:46:44+00:00

That is fucking bullshit?! Fuck you fog breathers...

PrincessGary · 2012-09-28T09:37:47+00:00

I should be surprised, but Im not, and thats fucking wrong....

Title	In the UK, only men can be charged with rape.
Author	[deleted]
Upvotes	122
Comments	15
Date	September 27, 2012 9:31 PM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/10l1wo/in_the_uk_only_men_can_be_charged_with_rape/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/in-the-uk-only-men-can-be-charged-with-rape.1012581 https://theredarchive.com/post/1012581