A Writ filed to include MALE RAPE in Penal Code
A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking an amendment to Section 375 of the Penal Code to include other forms of rape, including male rape, as crimes against women.
Three people, including a lawyer, have filed the writ petition.
That petition argued that the number of cases of sexual abuse and rape of boys and children has increased significantly recently. But such torture cannot be tried as a crime of ‘Rape’. For this reason, section 375 of the Penal Code has been amended to include the crime of ‘rape of women’ as well as the crime of ‘male rape’.
who filed this writ
The three complainants are
Supreme Court lawyer Tasmia Nuhaiya Ahmed,
social worker Dr. Masum Billah and
Dr. Soumen Bhowmik.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Law, the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Inspector General of Police have been named as defendants in the petition.
What is existing laws says
section 375 of PENAL CODE says—
A man is said to commit “rape” who except in the case hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the five following descriptions:
Firstly. Against her will.
Secondly. Without her consent.
Thirdly. With her consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death, or of hurt.
Fourthly. With her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married.
Fifthly. With or without her consent, when she is under fourteen years of age.
Explanation. Penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the offense of rape.
Exception. Sexual intercourse by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under thirteen years of age, is not rape.
NOTE, In Bangladesh a significant portion of victims of rape are male. most of them are the child. But rape is still defined as a crime against women.
