Ohio Lawmakers Remove Marital Rape “Loophole”

USA Today reports:

Ohio lawmakers voted Wednesday to criminalize marital rape in all situations, ending a years-long fight over a law that critics cast as archaic and harmful to survivors.

The Ohio Senate unanimously passed legislation which eliminates a measure that protects spouses from prosecution against rape, unless the perpetrator used force or the couple lives in separate homes. It also removes the spousal exception for sexual battery and other sex crimes and allows spouses to testify against their partner in these cases.

The bill now heads to Gov. Mike DeWine, who is expected to sign it, according to his spokesman. The only House lawmaker to oppose it was Rep. Bill Dean, R-Xenia, who said it could “be used as a wedge between husband and wife.”

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