Japan lastly up to date its definition of rape in order that the crime not requires using power. Its age of consent can be not 13.

• Japan reformed its intercourse crimes legal guidelines on Friday, clarifying rape prosecution necessities. 
• The definition of rape was modified from “forcible” intercourse to “non-consensual sexual activity.”
• The authorized age of consent has additionally been raised to 16 years.

Japan has up to date its definition of rape in order that the crime doesn’t require using power and the age of consent is not 13. 

The long-awaited overhaul of intercourse crime legal guidelines was cleared within the Japanese parliament’s higher home in a unanimous vote on Friday, the BBC reported.

The definition of rape was modified from “forcible sexual activity” to “non-consensual sexual activity.” The age of consent, which had been the identical since 1907, was raised from 13 years previous to 16 years previous.

The legal guidelines outlined eight situations the place it’s tough for a sufferer to consent to intercourse, a few of which embrace when the sufferer is drunk or medication, topic to violence or threats, or is “frightened or astonished,” the BBC stated.

In addition they criminalized  “photograph voyeurism,” or upskirting, and the grooming of minors. In the meantime, the authorized window for reporting rape was prolonged from 10 years to fifteen years. 

The change follows a number of rape acquittals that triggered a nationwide outcry and sparked the Flower Demo marketing campaign towards sexual violence.

In 2014, a person was acquitted of rape after he pinned a 15-year-old woman to a wall and had intercourse along with her whereas she resisted, in line with the BBC.

A Tokyo court docket dominated his actions didn’t make it “extraordinarily tough” for her to withstand. The woman was additionally handled as an grownup as a result of she was over 13 years previous.  

There has lengthy been stigma and disgrace round sexual violence in Japan, in line with Human Rights Watch. 

It famous {that a} 2021 authorities survey confirmed that solely 6 % of women and men reported an assault. Nearly half of the ladies stated they could not achieve this due to “embarrassment.”