A new Montana bill recently expanded the definition of rape to include cases in which victims did not explicitly fight against their attackers
On Monday, Montana Governor Steve Bullock signed Senate Bill 29 into law after state legislators passed it almost unanimously (148-2), with only two Republican House members opposing the statute. According to local outlet The Missoulian, the bill changed the legal definition of sexual assault and rape in Montana. The bill “removes the requirement of force from the definition of ‘consent.’”
Before Monday, survivors had to prove that they fought back or were threatened into submission during their assault in order to prosecute their attackers. That definition of rape completely left out cases where survivors were drugged or the attacker was in a position of authority that prevented the victim from speaking up. Montana’s original definition of assault also allowed the attacker to claim consent was given if the victim was married to or in a previous relationship with their attacker.
Sen. Diane Sands told The Missoulian that many of the state’s sexual assault laws were completely outdated.
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