Norway’s Christian Democrats want a new law that would define sex without consent as rape
Norway's Christian Democrat Party's program committee wants to introduce a consent law.
Norway’s Christian Democrat Party’s program committee wants to introduce a consent law.
“To be able to say that sex without consent is rape will add to prevention and strengthen the rape victims’ legal security. We can’t say that today according to Norwegian law,” Young Christian Democrats (KrFU) leader Edel-Marie Haukeland told TV 2.
In today’s law, rape is defined as having sexual intercourse with someone through the use of violence or threats, or with someone who is unconscious or for other reasons unable to resist.
“This is a public health problem. But today, a lack of consent in itself is not enough to investigate or convict someone for rape,” the KrFU leader, who sits on the party’s program committee, stated.
Legal definition
The committee is also in favor of Norway introducing a legal provision that clarifies rape as sexual intercourse without consent.
Peter Frølich of the Conservative Party is among those who believe a consent law would at best be symbolic and confusing.
“This proposal seems logical at first, but is in reality, it’s wrong and dangerous… It would create uncertainty about setting the line for rape. There is a risk of either punishing the innocent or the law being set aside due to ambiguity,” he warned.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
