'Rape' to go from IPC; new bill in offing

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The Government is working on to replace the word "rape" from Indian Penal Code with "sexual assault" to broaden the ambit of crimes covered under the sections and make the provisions gender-neutral.

The Home Ministry is working on a draft bill which will replace the word 'rape' from nearly 150-year-old Indian Penal Code with 'sexual assault' in order to broaden the ambit of crimes covered, official sources said.

As per section 375 of IPC, penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary to the offence of rape but with the proposed replacements coming in, the sexual assault will also cover crimes like sodomy, fingering, insertion of foreign object and other similar offences which do not come under present definition of rape, sources said.

The proposal will also make "sexual assault" gender neutral which implies that relevant sections of IPC can be slapped on accused of any gender who has committed the crime, they said.

The provisions can be imposed on sexual crimes inflicted on women, men and children thus broadening the reach.

The sources said the move is seen as a way to harmonise the provisions of law to prevent sexual crimes among homosexuals with homosexuality being decriminalised by a Delhi High Court order last year.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Rape-to-go-from-IPC-new-bill-in-offing/H1-Article1-519358.aspx

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