AMMAN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Lower House on Tuesday abolished a controversial legislation that allowed sexual assault perpetrators to escape punishment by marrying the victims, the state-run Petra news agency reported.
Following a heated 30-minute session and a public vote by members, the Speaker of the Lower House Atef Tarawneh declared that Article 308 of the Penal Code is abolished.
Prime Minister Hani Mulki had reiterated the government's stand concerning Article 308 in a brief remark before the voting session commenced, saying that the legislation "comes in contravention of our values."
Before the article is abolished, if the perpetrator of a rape or a sexual assault crime marries the victims, the charges would be dropped off.
The article made many families, fearing shame and disgrace, agree to give in if the rapist marries their daughter.
Human rights and women groups have been pushing for the scrapping of the article, which actually enabled sexual harassment perpetrators to marry the victims they rape and escape punishment.
The draft Penal Code and Article 308 in specific has been under the heat at the Lower House of Parliament and within the civil society and government officials with many calling for its complete abolishing from the Penal Code.
A Royal committee had suggested abolishing the article in February and the government endorsed the decision shortly afterwards.
Several women activists representing 63 local organizations took to social media for a campaign lobbying the Lower House to abolish the article, rather than adopt any amendments.
