Indiana bill to close rape law loophole heads to governor
Gov. Eric Holcomb during his State of the State address on Jan. 11, 2022. (WISH Photo from video)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A bill that seeks to redefine rape and consent in Indiana is headed to the governor’s desk after state lawmakers gave it their final approval on Wednesday.
The legislation stipulates that a person who has sexual intercourse with someone who attempts to “physically, verbally, or by other visible conduct refuse the person’s acts” commits rape.
The bill also makes clear that a person commits rape if they pretend to be a different person and engage in sexual intercourse with someone else.
That’s a change to Indiana’s existing law, which does not provide a definition of consent.