It seems the idea of consent has finally been immortalised by the laws of Eswatini but it may have started off in an unexpected way.
According to section 48 (1) of the Sexual Offences and Domestic violence act 15/2018, it is likely that clubbers, people who usually gather in an environment of varying degrees of intoxication will now be arrested for rubbing up the wrong way on non-consenting and unsuspecting people they meet on the dance floor. Chivalry is dead but this law will certainly bring it back by insuring that drunks and dancers alike make sure they have permission to grind and gyrate on other club patrons or face both jail time and a colossal bail sum.
While the recognition of the lack of protection (especially in the case of women) is a welcome leap for the Kingdom one can only hope that this extends to conduct at all times of the day, both in the context of marriage and that of relationships. The emergence of this law can only mean that the law claiming that there is no rape in the context of marriage has been overturned and women can now report the unwanted sexual advances of their partners under the clause of domestic violence.
It is likely that the unwanted sexual advances from men and women who make sexual advances to others by getting unnecessarily physical with the victim will now get the attention it needs in court. It is indeed a big leap in protecting the women of the country.
