Overview
- The government published draft amendments this week that introduce a statutory definition of consent, three new non‑consensual sexual offences and harsher penalties for rape.
- The draft keeps a 'mistaken belief' defence that lets defendants say they believed there was consent and advocacy groups are pressing for statutory limits that would require defendants to take active steps to confirm consent.
- Survivors' groups on July 8 called the proposals flawed for not creating a separate offence for persistent child sexual abuse and for leaving creation or possession of intimate images, including AI‑made material, outside criminalisation.
- The Security Bureau has opened a one‑month public consultation and says it will compile and analyse submissions to guide the final legislative proposals.
- Campaigners point to government data showing about a 20% conviction rate for rape and sexual assault in recent years and say modernising laws is needed to reduce evidentiary hurdles and improve victims' access to justice.