Punishment for rapists in different countries

Rape is considered as one of the most offensive crimes a human can commit.

The impact on rape victims is horrific as it inflicts indelible physical, emotional and mental wounds on them. They have to suffer mental torture without any fault of theirs. They are often looked down in society and their life turns into a living hell.

But what about the culprit? What should be done to the devil who shatters the soul of the victim?

In Bangladesh, the cabinet today approved a proposal seeking to increase the punishment of raping from life imprisonment to death. The President will promulgate an ordinance on the amended law.

According to the local human rights organization Ain-o-Salish Kendra (ASK), between January and September 2020, at least 975 rape cases were reported in Bangladesh, including 208 gang-rapes.

Meanwhile, different countries across the world came up with strong laws against sexual assault to make their societies a safer place for their women.

Here are the most brutal rape punishments of different countries around the world-

 1. India: Life imprisonment to death sentence

 After the Anti Rape Bill of April 2013, culprits are liable to life imprisonment (which is actually 14 years), imprisonment for entire life and even the death sentence in the rarest of rare cases.

2. Pakistan: Death sentence

Gang rape, child molestation and rape are punishable by death. An assault on a woman and intentional display of her body in public view is punishable by death in Pakistan. Statutory rape by a man of a girl under sixteen, especially a gang rape, is punishable by death.

3. China: Death sentence or castration

 The sentence for rape in China is death. Castration is also used in some cases.

4. Japan: 20 years to life

Twenty years for the crime of rape. If it is rape or fatal rape at the scene of any other crime like robbery, then death penalty.

5. Saudi Arabia: Beheading within days

 The punishment for rape in Saudi Arabia is a public beheading after administering the rapist with a sedative.

 6. North Korea: Death by firing squad

North Korea sentences rapists to death by firing squad.

7. Afghanistan: Shot in the head or hanged to death

Rapists in Afghanistan are shot in the head within 4 days or hanged to death depending on the judgement handed out by the court.

 8. Egypt: Death by hanging

 Egypt is also one of the places that still follows the slightly outdated mode of death by hanging.

 9. Iran: Hanged to death

 Rapists in Iran are sentenced to death, sometimes by hanging but sometimes allegedly also by stoning.

 10. USA: Imprisonment for life

 The usual sentence for a convicted rapist here depends on whether the trial falls under state or federal law. In cases under federal law, the punishments can range from a few years to imprisonment for the entirety of the rapist's life span.

 11. Russia: 3 to 20 years

 Rapists in Russia are usually sentenced to 3-6 years in prison. The jail term can go up to more than 10 years depending on the situation.

 12. Israel: 16 years to life

 If someone is convicted of raping a woman, he is liable to be sentenced to 16 years in prison. Their definition of rape is quite inclusive and takes into account other forms of sexual assault.

 13 France: 15 years to life

 French hands out 15 year sentences for rape, which can be extended to 30 or life depending on the extent of damage and brutality.

 14. Norway: 4 to 15 years

 Any kind of sexual behaviour without consent falls under the category of rape in Norway, and the perpetrator can be thrown in jail for a period of 4-15 years depending on how heinous the crime was.