No discriminatory, derogatory or stigmatising language is used. Discriminatory, derogatory or stigmatising language must not be used in sexual offences laws to refer to people with disability. These include terms such as ‘idiots’, ‘imbeciles’, ‘mentally subnormal’, ‘mental defective’ and ‘handicapped’. Good practice laws should refer to ‘people’, ‘persons’ or ‘person’ with disability, in accordance with the language of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
GOOD PRACTICE IN HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLIANT SEXUAL OFFENCES LAWS
This report lays out criteria for good practice human rights compliant laws across four areas of sexual offences legislation, namely rape/sexual assault, age of consent for sexual conduct, treatment of consensual same-sex sexual activity between adults, and sexual offences in relation to people with disability.
CHANGING LAWS, CHANGING LIVES
Since 2015, the Trust's legislative reform programme has been analysing the need for the reform of sexual offence laws and delivering technical assistance to support such reform. Find out more about our Changing Laws, Changing Lives programme.
NEXT STEPS TOWARDS REFORM: EUROPE
This report examines the status of sexual offences legislation in the Commonwealth Caribbean and Americas, assessing good practice and identifying where there are gaps in protection, with a particular focus on women, children, LGBT+ people and people with disability.
Sign up to receive updates
Join our newsletter to receive regular updates about decriminalisation efforts around the world, including breaking news on key legal cases, hot off the press reports, invitations to events and messages from our Chief Executive.