Switzerland amends law to legally recognize that sex without consent is rape
The amendment follows similar rulings in Denmark and Spain, where the law was recently changed to define rape as sexual assault without explicit consent.
Sexual assault & domestic violence
Progress on sexual assault and domestic violence is hard-won and often underreported. This archive tracks legal reforms, survivor support breakthroughs, policy advances, and community-led interventions that are reducing harm and expanding justice for survivors.
New Northern Irish law will recognizes coercive control as a criminal offense
This crime is a huge problem in Northern Ireland, with statistics showing an instance of abuse occurs every 17 minutes in the country.
Indonesian army ends ‘two-finger’ virginity tests on female recruits
The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) conducted investigations into the practice in 2014, 2015 and 2017, with experts labeling the tests abusive, unscientific and discriminatory.
Slovenia defines sex without consent as rape
Coercion, the use or threat of force, or the inability to defend oneself will no longer be the only conditions for a crime to be considered rape after the Slovenian parliament passed amendments to the penal code on June 5.
New Zealand ‘wellbeing’ budget focuses resources on vulnerable populations
New Zealand’s Labour coalition government has unveiled its “world-first” well-being budget which offers billions for mental health services, child poverty, and family violence.
Nevada convenes the United States’ first ever majority-female state legislature
The female majority is having a huge effect: More than 17 pending bills deal with sexual assault, sex trafficking and sexual misconduct.
Scientists are using AI to find hotel rooms being used for child sex trafficking
Washington University engineers developed AI that recognizes features of a hotel room from a photo and identify where it may have been taken, offering new leads to fight child trafficking.
Indian soap opera called “I, A Woman, Can Achieve Anything” becomes world’s most watched TV show
The show designed by an NGO to promote sexual health and family planning. It now has over 400 million viewers from over 50 countries.
#MeToo justice infiltrates the aid sector as sexual exploitation allegations proliferate
Many said that despite repeated warnings going back 15 years to a then controversial report by Save the Children on the prevalence of sexual abuse in west Africa that include aid worker abuse the issue has long been ignored by managers.
Somalia gets first forensic center to deliver justice in sexual assault cases
Funded by Sweden in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund, the Puntland Forensic Center has been equipped with machines and laboratory equipment that can produce timely results.