INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
New Swedish law recognises sex without consent as rapeStockholm: A tough new law that will recognise sex
without explicit consent as rape comes into effect in Sweden on Sunday, after the country was rocked by the #MeToo movement denouncing
sexual harassment and assault.The law stipulates that a person has committed rape if they have been part of a sexual act in which the other
person has not participated "freely".Rape had previously been defined as a sexual act carried out with the use of violence or threat.Now for
someone to face rape charges, "it is no longer necessary that violence or threats were applied, or that the aggressor took advantage of the
whether consent was expressed with words, gestures or in another manner, and judges will have to rule on the issue.Judge Anna Hannell, who
same type"."Simply participating physically is a sign of consent," she told Swedish news agency TT.More than 7,000 rapes were reported in
Sweden last year, a 10 percent increase compared to 2016, latest official figures show.Rape is punishable by up to six years in prison, with
a maximum penalty of 10 years if the victim is a minor.
