Sande has been keeping a terrible secret. Even his wife could not get him to talk but she noticed that he has become very withdrawn and sensitive to anyone’s touch. The last time he spoke openly, he told her that he was going to meet an old female friend. She approached his best friend to find out if there was anything that Sande had mentioned. Bestie just told her that Sande gave him some story about rape, yet he knows that men cannot be raped. Sande’s wife wants to approach him, but she does not even know whether “male rape can even happen?”
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
The Penal Code Act says that rape in Uganda, is when a person has sex with a woman or girl. and in Section 123 it says that only “women and girls” can be raped. However, rape only happens when a person does not give their consent to sex. Since persons below 18 years cannot give their consent. It is called defilement if it happens to them.
Therefore, the law has no mention of ‘male’ rape.
SO, WHAT DO WE CALL IT WHEN SOMEONE “USES THEM”?
Where a man is forced into sexual intercourse that he does not wish to engage in by another person (and being forced into something can include being made drunk or otherwise intoxicated in order to make sure that you are not in a mental state that will enable you to stop or prevent the actions)- criminal law does not give him many options, especially if his abuser is a woman.
The constitution says that no one should be discriminated against because of their gender. If any law, does it, then that part of the law does not apply. We know that the penal code (main criminal law) is under the constitution. If it does not protect mean against rape like it does women, is this not discrimination?
What do you think, should the law be amended to provide for the crime of rape against men as well? Share your opinion with us by commenting below.
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