Petitions/Change the legal definition of Rape to allow women to be charged with rape
StatusClosed
Opened21 Jan 2025
Closes21 Jul 2025
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

Amend the current legal definition of rape to allow for women to be charged with it, rather than just men as is the current situation laid out by the Sexual Offences Act.

If this government is dedicated to equality, then I believe it should amend the legal definition to allow all sexes to be charged with rape. I believe the implication the current definition has, i.e. that women can not commit rape, is damaging to the idea of gender equality and changing it would symbolise significant progress in this area. Of course women can be charged with other offences, but I think the current inequality in terminology is a slap in the face to male victims.

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Constituency engagement ranking

Luke Pollard
1Luke Pollard MP
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
5
Sir Ashley Fox
2Sir Ashley Fox MP
Bridgwater
3
Steff Aquarone
3Steff Aquarone MP
North Norfolk
3
Mr Will Forster
4Mr Will Forster MP
Woking
3
Clive Jones
5Clive Jones MP
Wokingham
3
Gerald Jones
6Gerald Jones MP
Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare
3
Dr Kieran Mullan
7Dr Kieran Mullan MP
Bexhill and Battle
2
Barry Gardiner
8Barry Gardiner MP
Brent West
2
Dr Peter Prinsley
9Dr Peter Prinsley MP
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
2
Rosie Duffield
10Rosie Duffield MP
Canterbury
2
Change the legal definition of Rape to allow women to be charged with rape — Petitions