For years women have been trying to bring awareness to Women's Rights. From the #MeToo movement to now India passing a law that has changed the game in Women's Rights. Arranged marriages may be common in countries such as Niger and Bangladesh; India is officially winning in the Women's Rights movement.
Over 650 million women alive today were married when they were children. There are many reasons behind a child bride; poverty, lack of education or even financial and political reasons but those reasons are not valid enough to sell their child to someone else. Once a girl becomes a child bride she is considered "his property" so having sex with her would be dignified. But, not anymore.
India age of consent was 18 but was lowered to 15 if the girl was married. 12 million girls are married before the age of 18 (crazy right?). India has officially passed a law that stated that regardless if the girl was married or not having sex with a girl without consent would be considered rape.
When a family is not wealthy and marries off their child bride to someone; the husband assumes that the wife automatically is given consent when in real life that is not always true. Being intimate between husband and wife should be a consensual decision and not just assumption. With the new law being in place girls now have a chance to take a stand against their husband if need be.
Girls under 18 are able to report their husbands for rape within the year. India is the first country to pass this law in hopes that India's supreme court would remove the marital rape and exemption law and clause. This new law may not be a huge deal but it is a huge step towards women's rights.
India has taken a step towards empowering girls to not be afraid to speak up for themselves. It may be just a small step for women but a huge win in women's rights.
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