Amending Criminal Code (Illustration)
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Bill: Women can be charged with rape
Knesset's Constitution Committee approves proposal to amend Criminal Code to enable authorities to file rape charges against women
The Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee approved a bill proposal allowing authorities to charge and convict women of rape.
The bill passed a preliminary reading during the former Knesset's term, but never matured further.
Wednesday's approval will see the bill, which underwent some changes, brought before the House once more.
Israel's current Criminal Code does not recognize the act of rape when perpetrated by a woman against a man. The bill, said committee head Knesset Member David Rotem (Yisrael Beiteinu), is meant to rectify the situation.
According to the bill, a woman would be committing rape should she "cause another to insert an object or limb into her genitals," by force or coercion.
The bill states that in special circumstances, the likes of cases involving doctor-patient relations or any relations between an adult and a minor, a women would be committing rape should she even "enable" such an act.
The bill was brought before the committee by MKs Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi) and
MK Ronit Tirosh (Kadima).
"The bill aims to expand the criminal definition of rape, which nowadays applies only to men," said Orlev.
"It's inconceivable that these kind of offences go unpunished in general and it's outrageous when minors are involved."
