Marital Rape Exception: Other Laws Like 498A Are No Substitute, Says Expert

Concluding her submissions, Rebecca John explained to the Delhi HC why the stance taken by the Delhi govt was wrong.

Concluding her submissions to the Delhi High Court as amicus curiae on Monday, 24 January, senior advocate Rebecca John explained that while married women had certain legal remedies that could be invoked for domestic abuse (including perhaps sexual violence), these were not a substitute for being able to file a complaint on rape with the authorities.

"[Sections 498A and 304B of the Indian Penal Code, the Dowry Prohibition Act and the Domestic Violence Act] create definitive offences based on their individual ingredients. They were enacted to address very specific vices. They were not enacted to address the offence defined in Section 375."

Senior advocate Rebecca John to the Delhi High Court on 24 January