Closed petition: Change Sexual Offences Act rape definition to include any assault by penetration

Closed on 13 May 2026

I want the government to change the Sexual Offences Act legislation to redefine all penetrative assault as rape and the offenders should be prosecuted as such. We think labelling it as penetrative assault undermines the victim’s reality of the harm and impacts caused.

Entering any part of someone's body with any part of your body or an item without consent should be charged as rape. It shouldn’t matter what part of the body is used to determine rape. We believe any part of the body entering someone else without consent is rape.