Rough sex murder defense

Common card · No. 466422

The Rough sex murder defense, also known as the 50 Shades defense (after Fifty Shades of Grey), is employed by some people accused of murdering a sexual partner, who claim that the death occurred because of injuries sustained during consensual sex. The advocacy group We Can't Consent To This identified 60 police suspects or defendants in the UK between 1972 and 2020, who stated this defense from the outset or later pled it. In 45% of those cases, the result was a lesser charge, a lighter sentence, an acquittal, or the case not being pursued. In the UK, legislative amendments were proposed in 2020 and passed in April 2021 (in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021) to tackle the rough sex defence.

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