Ugandan women MPs vow to support Bill on marital rape
A coalition of Ugandan women MPs has backed a proposal in a Bill that makes it punishable for a spouse to force the other into sex without their consent.
The MPs’ position is, however, subject to how the Parliament will vote when debate on the Marriage and Divorce Bill resumes next week.
Addressing the press as one of the events to mark International Women’s Day, the legislators under the African Network of Women Parliamentarians and the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) said some spouses have died as a result of being forced into sex.
But their support could stoke the controversy that has built up around proposed Clause 114(2) which a number of male MPs fear could be abused to frustrate men in relationships.
The clause says a spouse has a right to deny his or her partner sex where forceful sex results into both criminal and civil liabilities. A spouse may deny the right to sexual intercourse on reasonable grounds which may include poor health, surgery, child birth or reasonable fear that engaging in intercourse is likely to cause physical or psychological injury or harm.
Where a spouse engages in sex with the other spouse against the spouse’s consent, the Bill creates both criminal and civil liability. In case of criminal offence, it shall be punishable on conviction to a Sh240,000 (approximately $91) fine or imprisonment of up to five years.
Story courtesy of Africareview.com
Click here to access original article
The MPs’ position is, however, subject to how the Parliament will vote when debate on the Marriage and Divorce Bill resumes next week.
Addressing the press as one of the events to mark International Women’s Day, the legislators under the African Network of Women Parliamentarians and the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) said some spouses have died as a result of being forced into sex.
But their support could stoke the controversy that has built up around proposed Clause 114(2) which a number of male MPs fear could be abused to frustrate men in relationships.
The clause says a spouse has a right to deny his or her partner sex where forceful sex results into both criminal and civil liabilities. A spouse may deny the right to sexual intercourse on reasonable grounds which may include poor health, surgery, child birth or reasonable fear that engaging in intercourse is likely to cause physical or psychological injury or harm.
Where a spouse engages in sex with the other spouse against the spouse’s consent, the Bill creates both criminal and civil liability. In case of criminal offence, it shall be punishable on conviction to a Sh240,000 (approximately $91) fine or imprisonment of up to five years.
Story courtesy of Africareview.com
Click here to access original article
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