Rape is a criminal act of a sexual nature that unexpectedly united Czech society. People in town squares across the Czech Republic are protesting its inadequate sentencing. Ministry of Justice employees are reviewing cases, filing objections, and lodging complaints. Legislators in the Czech Parliament are expressing their dissatisfaction with one voice and, in a rare consensus, pushing for a change in legislation. The trigger was a recent case where a stepfather raped his stepdaughter and was given probation as punishment.

Key takeaways:

• Sexual violence has recently received more attention in society. MPs have approved a change in legislation and enacted a more precise definition of the term rape.
• An alarming number of women have experienced rape or similar forms of violence, but there is a lack of resources across the country that provide sufficient medical, psychological, and legal assistance to victims.
• Only a small percentage of cases end up in criminal proceedings.
• Violent offenders leave court with probation or a short sentence. The Supreme Court then returns the cases for further investigation.

Analysis –Irena Krcháková

The analysis is in PDF under the link below.