More support has come for the call to redefine the definition of rape to include anal sex without consent.

This time the Jamaica Left-Alliance for National Democracy and Socialism has joined those urging the parliamentary committee reviewing the sexual offences laws to ignore claims that a redefinition of rape would be an attempt to legalise buggery.

“Many persons believe that once you include anal sex in the definition of sexual intercourse and rape it means that it is legal which does not have to be the case,” said Christopher Simpson, chairman of the group in his presentation to the committee last Wednesday.

According to Simpson, the definition of rape should be amended as this could bring adequate justice to non-consensual anal penetration victims.

“We could follow the move made by Namibia, where even though consensual anal sex is criminalised forced anal penetration is considered rape,” said Simpson as he argued that vaginal and anal penetration both carry psychological scars and the penalty should be equal.

– Myesha Broadie