What do marital rape statistics Singapore look like? In 2016, I did at least 3 cases involving marital rape Singapore, which evolved into very acrimonious and bitter divorces.
In Singapore, there is immunity for marital rape. However, this may change in the near future according to Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin who highlighted the issue in Parliament on 4 April 2017.
The Minister said: “I strongly believe that a married woman should not have any less protection against sexual violence than an unmarried woman. While there are conjugal rights between a married couple, these rights exist within the bounds of reasonable behaviour.”.
While rape involving a man who is not the husband of a woman carries a jail term of up to 20 years, it was not a crime for a man to rape his wife before 2007. In 2007, the law was amended such that marital rape Singapore became an offence if:
- The couple were not together as a result of an interim judgment (divorce) or separated under a deed of separation;
- If divorce had begun;
- If the wife had a PPO against the husband.
In 2012, Mr K Shanmugam, Law Minister, indicated that it is worthwhile to study arguments against marital rape Singapore.
In 2016, Singapore informed the United Nations Human Rights Council that the country is working towards removing the marital rape immunity.
See: Koh Xing Hui, “Marital rape: When no means no”, The Sunday Times, 9 April 2017
To find out more about marital rape statistics Singapore, or if you wish to speak to an experienced divorce lawyer Singapore on how to deal with marital rape Singapore, contact us today!
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