Supreme Court examines marital rape exception in spousal abuse case

The Supreme Court is examining the marital rape exception while hearing a case from Karnataka where a husband stands accused of subjecting his wife to involuntary sexual acts, effectively treating her as a "sex slave". The court acknowledged that a woman forced into sex by her spouse is undoubtedly a victim deserving legal protection.

The case has brought the contentious issue of marital rape immunity into focus, with the bench considering whether the exception—which currently shields husbands from rape charges in non-consensual marital relations—can withstand constitutional scrutiny. The proceedings signal the court's engagement with long-standing demands for legal reform on spousal sexual abuse.