An amendment has been proposed to the Sexual Offences Act to ensure rapists cannot use certain elements to discredit the victim after the crime is reported.
The amendment was proposed by Parliamentarian Meekail Ahmed Naseem. The amendment includes the addition of three subsections to Clause 53 of the Sexual Offences Act, in order to protect rape victims after the crime is reported. The amendment states the personality traits and discipline of the rape victim, as well as any past communications between the victim and the rapist cannot be used to discredit the victim after the crime is reported.
Meanwhile, the amendment bill to the Criminal Procedures Act has been reviewed and approved at committee stage by the Parliament of the Maldives. Rape has been included as one of the 11 serious criminal offences under the amendment bill.