Drunk Men in UK No Longer to Get Away with Forcing Sex on Wives and Girlfriends
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Photo Credit: JorgeMiente.es
Lady Stern, who will release a government commissioned report in February on the way police handle rape allegations, has said that drunk men who force sex on their partners are rapists – and they should be treated that way.
Lady Stern says rapists in the UK who force sex on wives and girlfriends will no longer be able to blame their actions on alcohol intoxication.
Stern, who leads a government inquiry into the way rape allegations are handled by police said, "Being drunk is voluntary and people who become drunk are responsible for their actions. It is not the alcohol that commits the rape. It is not an excuse. It used to be regarded as such, but it is not an excuse. It is an aggravating factor."
Lady Stern will release her report to the Home Secretary in February. She has said that she feels that the prime focus of change must go towards ensuring that all rape claims get investigated thoroughly. At present, she says, some claims are dismissed by police officers as unlikely.
Lady Stern called for police to take rape cases seriously, regardless of the relationship between the victim and aggressor, saying "I don't think there is any ambiguity. You can't have sex with someone who hasn't said yes…There is no grey area."
