Base legal definitions of rape and sexual violence on the absence of voluntary and free consent, rather than on force or resistance.
Ensure that rape definitions cover all forms of unwanted penetration of a sexual nature, regardless of the object or body part used.
Recognise contexts and coercive circumstances where consent can neither be freely given nor inferred, including situations of power imbalance, dependency, or vulnerability.
Eliminate estupro or similar provisions that trivialise the rape of adolescents.
Ensure laws address exploitation in relationships with power imbalances, such as teacher-student or employer-employee dynamics.
Ensure penalties for sexual violence reflect the gravity of the acts.
Include survivors and civil society in the design of policies and practices to address rape.

Legislating on sexual violence with a consent-based approach in Latin America and the Caribbean

What’s inside the guide?