The Dutch government has introduced a bill which will make sex with a child under 12 punishable as rape.

The two coalition parties argue that, although society regards sexual intercourse with young children as rape, this has not yet been laid down in law.

Current legislation defines sexual intercourse with children as ‘sexual penetration’; an illicit sexual act which carries a lesser sentence than rape.

The bill stipulates that a victim must have been defenceless or unable to say he or she did not want to have sex to prevent any sexual contact between slightly older children being regarded as rape.

The bill has the support of a majority in parliament and of Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten. If adopted, it would also raise the maximum penalty for rape from 12 to 15 years.

(gsh/imm)

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