CONSENT AND COERCION: THE LEGAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF MARITAL RAPE IN INDIA

AUTHOR – ADISHREE BHATT, KES SHRI JAYANTILAL PATEL LAW COLLEGE, KANDIVALI WEST

BEST CITATION – ADISHREE BHATT, CONSENT AND COERCION: THE LEGAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF MARITAL RAPE IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (6) OF 2025, PG. 679-688, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

Abstract

This article analyses the legal and social aspects of marital rape in India, focusing on the inconsistencies in the laws that exclude husbands from prosecution. It discusses the implications of such legal frameworks on women’s autonomy over their bodies and human rights, calling for reform. Through a study of global viewpoints and court precedents, the paper urges criminalizing marital rape, codifying clear consent definitions, and increasing victim support systems. It finally demands a change in culture towards understanding consent as core to the very essence of society, striving to build a safer and more just society for women in India