‘Potential rapists will think twice before committing their act now.’ MP Wafa Bani Mustafa
Major win. Women activists protest in front of Jordan’s parliament in Amman with banners calling on legislators to repeal a provision that allows a rapist to escape punishment if he marries his victim, on August 1. Photo credit: AP
Amman – The controversial Article 308 of the Jordanian Penal Code, which allowed rapists or sexual assault perpetrators to escape punishment by marrying their victims, has been abolished by the Lower House of Parliament, marking a victory for women activists.
They have been fighting for years against the “provocative” article that had a negative effect on the lives of many young women.
The abolishment was hailed as a triumph of justice, and is expected to lead to a decrease in sexual violence and abortion. Nearly 140 rape cases were reported in Jordan last year, crimes against morality and public morals increased 22% and abortion crime prosecutions were up 60%, a report by IT Criminal Management Police Department stated.
Suha Mehdi, a student, said ending Article 308 was a win for all.
“A rapist is a rapist and cannot be defined in any other way. He cannot be regarded as a victim as many try to place the blame on the girl insinu¬ating that she allowed this to hap¬pen. This is absurd and, now that Article 308 is gone, many will think twice about making any assault on women,” she said.
Read the full report in The Arab Weekly.