Rape is a violent act of domination against someone else. No behaviour on the part of any person can justify someone else raping them. You suggest that men might rape their wives if sexual intimacy between the couple has broken down, or if the woman is cheating on her husband, or if the wife begins to experience poor mental health. But none of these circumstances justifies or excuses rape. There are many other ways men can respond to these situations if they feel unable to cope, including seeking professional counselling. In every case, a man only becomes a rapist if he makes the choice to rape.

If anyone finds that they cannot reconcile themselves to the state of their marriage, then their recourse should be in marriage counselling or divorce. Not rape.

The campaign team seeks only to address the very problem of sexual violence within marriage, to which counsellors and victims alike can attest. Do read what victims themselves have to say, including in this interview with my paper. Marital rape is a real problem that needs a real solution, not the half-hearted status quo of the law.

Best regards

No To Rape team