Marital Rape
What is Marital Rape:
Marital rape is any unwanted sexual acts by a spouse or ex-spouse, committed without consent and/or against a person’s will, obtained by force, or threat of force, intimidation, or when a person is unable to consent.
These sexual acts include intercourse, anal or oral sex, forced sexual behavior with other individuals, and other sexual activities that are considered by the victim as degrading, humiliating, painful, and unwanted.
In Indiana marital rape is against the law.
If you or someone you know can answer yes to any of these questions:
- Have you been forced to have sex by your spouse when you didn’t want to?
- Have you ever been restrained against your wishes during sex with your partner?
- Have you been physically hurt by your spouse during sex?
- Have you felt uncomfortable with your partner’s sexual requests, but complied anyway?
- Have you ever been afraid to say “no” to your spouse sexually and had sex because of this fear?
- Have you ever felt sexually harassed by your partner and given into sex because of the harassment?
It is estimated that between 10% and 14% of married women are raped by their husbands. Many of these women have also been battered by their husbands.
Long term effects of Marital Rape
- Marital Rape Survivors may experience:
- Sexual dysfunction
- Problems with sleeping
- Problems with eating
- Bladder infections
- Miscarriages
- Infertility
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Vaginal disorders
- Physical injury to the genital area
- Broken bones
- Bruising
- Black eyes
- Fatigue
- Bloody noses
- Flash backs
- Inability to trust
- Depression
- Traumatic stress disorder
Marital rape is a serious crime. If there are children in the household it is important to remember that violent environments impact everyone. There is help available for anyone seeking to leave a violent situation. The Indiana Domestic Violence hotline number is 1-800-332-7385. You may also call the RAINN hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE to be connected with a crisis center in your area or contact an INCASA advocate through the contact us section in this website for free confidential support, referrals, and information.
