Denmark: Demand for change in rape law boosted as Justice Minister backs survivors’ calls

A call for consent-based rape legislation by Danish Minister of Justice Soren Pape Poulsen is an important and welcome step, said Amnesty International as it launches a new report into barriers to justice for rape victims in Denmark.

We welcome the fact that the Danish Minister of Justice has chosen to make a statement supporting Amnesty’s call for consent-based legislation

Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International

Responding to a statement by Soren Pape Poulsen today, that there is a “need for new legislation that that says sex should always be voluntary,” Amnesty International’s Secretary General Kumi Naidoo said:

“We welcome the fact that the Danish Minister of Justice has chosen to make a statement supporting Amnesty’s call for consent-based legislation.

We look forward to seeing the draft law. Any law must be accompanied by proper implementation, appropriate sexuality education and challenging rape myths

Kumi Naildoo, Amnesty International

“Together with the survivors campaigning for improved access to justice, we look forward to seeing the draft law. But this is only one piece of the puzzle and it is essential that other Ministries support this initiative. Any law must be accompanied by proper implementation, appropriate sexuality education and challenging rape myths through awareness-raising.”

Materials and report available here – https://app.box.com/s/fy8pvwe5nz8ghvfk3oc9ibwezlvmmra5

See Soren Pape Poulsen’s interview here https://politiken.dk/indland/art7065084/%C2%BBJeg-fik-en-fornemmelse-af-at-politimanden-ikke-troede-p%C3%A5-mig-og-at-jeg-skulle-overbevise-ham%C2%AB