What is Rape?

[Trigger Warning: The following content contains information on physical violence and sexual violence which some readers may find disturbing.]

Rape is a crime that occurs when a man has sexual intercourse with a woman against her will or without her consent.

A man commits rape on an non-consenting woman if he:((Section 63, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023))

• penetrates his penis or inserts any other part of his body (to any extent) into the woman’s vagina, mouth, urethra, or anus, or forces her to do this with him or another person; or
• inserts any object into the woman’s vagina, mouth, urethra, or anus, or forces her to do this with him or another person; or
• manipulates any part of the body of a woman to cause penetration into the woman’s vagina, urethra, anus, or any part of the body or makes her to do so with him or any other person; or
• applies his mouth to the woman’s vagina, anus, or urethra, or makes her do this with him or any other person.

A medical procedure or intervention is not considered as rape. For example, if a doctor examines the private parts of a patient as part of a medical procedure, this is not rape.