Mauritius: 'Marriage Is No Longer a Shield' - New Law in Mauritius Recognises Marital Rape

What the report says

Mauritius’s parliament has unanimously approved legal changes that make marital rape a crime and increase penalties for femicide, according to RFI, whose report was distributed by AllAfrica. The reforms were passed after a series of violent attacks on women highlighted weaknesses in the island nation’s protections for victims of domestic abuse. They are meant to strengthen safeguards for people who had previously been left without effective legal recourse.

The article says the amendments to the country’s 1838 Criminal Code, voted through on 21 July, work alongside a Domestic Abuse Act passed earlier in July. The new framework also broadens protections to people in same-sex relationships, defines economic abuse and coercive control, and requires police to investigate violent acts even if a protection order is later withdrawn. Authorities can issue protection orders more quickly, including remotely, and offenders may be ordered to leave the home rather than the victim.

Attorney General Gavin Glover told parliament and RFI that the changes are intended to ensure the law addresses violence within families and relationships more directly. He said marriage is no longer a defense against a rape allegation and described the reforms as part of a wider effort to confront abuse hidden inside the home. The report also cites officials and support groups saying enforcement, police training, public awareness and long-term support for survivors will be crucial.

The coverage places the move in a broader context of concern about gender-based violence in Mauritius, where government figures cited in the article indicate that one in four women has experienced such abuse. The report notes several women were killed by partners or family members in 2025 and 2026, underscoring why lawmakers and advocates say the legal reforms matter.