SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Several new California laws expanding protections for women have just gone into effect, including measures that strengthen sexual assault reporting, expand access to fertility services and promote equal pay.
One of those new laws removes the spousal exception from the definition of rape, ensuring survivors receive the same legal protections regardless of their relationship to the perpetrator.
Victim advocate and founder of Empact, Leia Schenk, says this will help close a dangerous loophole that has left many survivors without justice…