"Saying 'yes' is essential: Norway pushes for tougher rape laws, following Norway's historic first-reading parliamentary vote, the Scandinavian country is poised to criminalize sex without explicit consent. Dubbed the "only yes means yes" approach, this law will hold offenders accountable for failure to secure consent, whether verbally or through non-verbal means.
Norway's Parliament approves initial draft of tougher legislation on sexual assault, aiming to enhance penalties for rape offenses.
Mimicking Sweden's acclaimed legislation, Norway aims to reform its criminal code, treating sex without consent as a serious offense, not only in instances of violence, threats, or exploitation of a vulnerable individual.
Under this new reform, offenders face a potential imprisonment term of up to six years. Countries like Denmark, Greece, and Spain are already employing similar definitions, making Norway the latest addition to the growing list of nations endorsing the "only yes means yes" principle.
In April, Norwegian Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen presented the criminal law reform, stressing that rape scenarios encompass more than just violence and threats. A victim might find themselves incapacitated, whether due to drugs or overpowering fear, rendering them unable to resist, thus necessitating a shift towards a victim-centric approach that prioritizes affirmative consent.
Beyond Norway, several other countries have embraced or are considering adopting the "only yes means yes" standard. Neighboring Sweden, as well as Iceland and Finland, have already aligned their laws with the consent-based approach. Other nations such as Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, are also noted to be undergoing similar changes in their rape laws."
[1] [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49480739][2] [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/4/14/sweden-yes-means-yes-law-to-tackle-rape][3] [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/iceland-consent-gender-equality-sexual-assault-a8247021.html]
- The employment policy within the community should prioritize general news, including updates on the policy-and-legislation changes related to sexual-health, such as the "only yes means yes" approach Norway and other countries are implementing.
- The health-and-wellness sector could benefit from incorporating findings from science into its employment policy, to ensure a safe and supportive environment that promotes awareness and prevention of sexual violence.
- As Norway's criminal code is being reformed to address sex without consent under its community policy, it is essential for other countries to review their own policy-and-legislation in relation to crime-and-justice and sexual-health.
- The general-news media play a vital role in keeping the public informed about developments in policy-and-legislation, particularly those related to science, health-and-wellness, and crime-and-justice, such as the "only yes means yes" approach in Norway and other nations.
