German Rape Law Applied To Husbands

German women can file rape charges against their husbands under a new law approved Friday that makes marital rape punishable by up to five years in jail.

Previously, rape was considered a crime only when the woman was not married to the attacker.

Female ministers and women’s rights activists have been campaigning to change the law for 25 years.

The most recent sticking point was the insistence by some legislators that the law include a clause allowing a woman to have the charges revoked. Ministers from conservative and liberal parties formed a coalition that was successful in having the clause dropped, arguing that it weakened the law by leaving open the possibility a man could pressure his wife to withdraw charges.