Marital rape

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Marital rape or spousal rape is the act of sexual intercourse with one's married spouse without the spouse's consent. The lack of consent is the essential element and does not always involve physical violence. Marital rape is considered a form of domestic violence and sexual abuse. While historically regarded as a right of husbands, the act is widely considered as rape in modern times and is becoming increasingly criminalized by many countries' laws. However, it remains unacknowledged by some more conservative cultures. The issues of sexual and domestic violence within marriage and the family unit, and more specifically, the issue of violence against women, have come to growing international attention from the second half of the 20th century. Still, in many countries, marital rape either remains outside the criminal law, or is illegal but widely tolerated. Laws are rarely enforced, due to factors ranging from reluctance of authorities to pursue the crime, to lack of public knowledge that...

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