Wife cannot be touched without permission, verdict of Indian High Court

Desk report: The High Court of the southern Indian state of Kerala has ruled that a man and a woman must agree to have sexual intercourse, whether married or not. The court gave this landmark verdict last week. News from the BBC. The woman in whose case the verdict was handed down alleged that her husband forced her to have regular physical contact even though she was ill. Justice Kawsar Adappagath and Justice A Muhammad Mustaq of the Kerala High Court’s division bench said in their judgment that the husband’s actions fell into the category of marital rape without his wife’s consent. They further said in the verdict that this marital rape can also be considered as a justifiable reason for divorce. In India, marital rape, where there is a marital relationship between the rapist and the rapist, is not considered a crime. But the Kerala High Court ruled that it could be considered “extreme atrocities” on the basis of which a divorce petition could be granted. Women’s rights activists say there is a social perception in all countries, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, that if women open their mouths against marital rape, the notion of family will be shattered. However, many believe that the Kerala High Court’s verdict will help change that perception.