What will Hong Kong’s proposed reforms to sexual offences laws change?

What will Hong Kong’s proposed reforms to sexual offences laws change? SCMP breaks down what you need to know about proposed overhaul of city’s sexual offences laws that are undergoing one-month public consultation Hong Kong authorities have put forward a sweeping overhaul of the city’s sexual offences laws, such as broadening the definition of rape, introducing new offences covering non-consensual acts involving children and persons with mental impairment, setting a uniform age of consent at 16, and removing gender-specific provisions. The proposals, which follow the Law Reform Commission’s reviews of sexual offences over the past decades, are undergoing a one-month public consultation. The government aims to introduce the new legislation by July next year. Here is what you need to know about the proposed reforms. 1. Why is the government reforming the laws? The commission formed a subcommittee in 2006 to conduct a comprehensive review of sexual offences. Between 2012 and 2020, it launched four consultation papers covering non-consensual sexual offences and rape, offences involving children and persons with mental impairment, as well as sentencing and related matters. The current proposals are based on 72 final recommendations set out in the commission’s reports published in 2019 and 2022.