Just this month, Gov. Roy Cooper signed legislation that reforms North Carolina’s sexual assault laws, and includes a number of other safety protections.
Two key provisions in the legislation Cooper signed will now allow North Carolina prosecutors to charge and possibly convict people of sexual assault who continue having sex with a partner after being asked to stop.
Another part of the law says it’s now considered a crime to have sex with a person who is incapacitated through his or her own use of alcohol or drugs.
Before the recent change, North Carolina was the only state in the country where continued sex after one partner revoked consent was not considered a crime; additionally, it was legal to drug someone’s drink and have sex with someone who is voluntarily incapacitated.
The legislation passed the state House and Senate by unanimous vote on Oct. 31. Most provisions in the legislation take effect Dec. 1.
The measure requires adults to report violent or sexual crimes against children under age 18 to law enforcement, bans online conduct with juveniles by high-risk sex offenders, and requires sex trafficking training for school employees. The bill also makes tampering with someone’s drink a felony even if nothing bad happens afterward.
Although there has been significant changes in the law, a jury still might not view a victim who is drunk or similarly incapacitated as a victim, due to a negative stigma associated with incapacitated victims.
For more information on the law, click below.
Click Here to view the law.