Only yes means yes

The definition of rape in the Slovenian Criminal Code is outdated and inconsistent with international law, including The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention. According to the existing legislation, rape is defined as a person being forced into sexual intercourse by threat, coercion or violence. This definition excludes many cases of sexual violence, since many victims become numb and unable to resist, while others don't dare to in fear for their lives. At the same time, such definition of rape presupposes that a person is always ready for sexual intercourse and can only prevent it by actively resisting it.

This project brings together NGOs focusing on the protection of women from violence in order to advocate for the model “only yes means yes” that defines rape on the basis of consent: whether a person freely consented to sexual intercourse or not. If there is no clear and free consent, it is not sexual intercourse, but rape.

We will conduct a communication campaign to raise awareness about the importance of adopting the model “yes means yes”, while also lobbying the decision-makers to provide the victims of rape and sexual violence with the highest possible level of protection.