Jordan Votes To End Its Marry Your Rapist Law | Will The Philippines Take Action Also?

Women calling for the repeal of a law in Jordan allowing rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victims stood outside Parliament in Amman on Tuesday. CreditReem Saad/Associated Press

Jordan's Parliament joined voted Tuesday to revoke a law allowing rapists to escape criminal prosecution if they marry their victims. Such laws are widespread in the Arab world as well as in the Philippines, a majority Catholic country, and have served benefit rapists for centuries. 

Proponents of the marry your rapist laws contend that they protect the female and her family from the shame of rape. Such sexual assault aggression against women is deemed to be her fault in societies where a family's honor is deeply linked to the chastity of its women. 

Morocco repealed its marry-your-rapist law in 2014, after a widely-publicized case of a teenager who hanger herself after being forced to marry her rapist. Lebanon is reviewing its law with a full legislative vote later this year. Tunisia axed its law last week, writes The New York Times.