Norway Officially Adopts Historic Consent Law
Norway adopts a consent law defining unconsented sex as rape, joining other Nordic countries in enhancing women's legal rights.
Key Points
- • Norway's new consent law classifies sex without consent as rape.
- • A significant majority of the Storting approved the law on June 6, 2025.
- • The law is a response welcomed by women's organizations for improving legal safety.
- • Other Nordic countries like Denmark, Iceland, and Finland have similar laws.
Norway has officially adopted a consent-based sexual offense law, aligning its legislation with that of Sweden and other Nordic countries. On June 6, 2025, the Storting, Norway's parliament, passed the law with a significant majority, a move celebrated as a landmark achievement in women's legal rights. The new law defines any sexual activity conducted without explicit consent as rape, marking a substantial shift in legal definitions surrounding sexual offenses.
Ragnhild Male Hartviksen of the Labour Party, who played a pivotal role in presenting the law, called the vote a historic moment and a significant step towards ensuring women's safety and rights in Norway. Women’s organizations have widely welcomed the law, highlighting its potential to shift societal attitudes towards sexual violence. Selma Flo-Munch from Norway's Women's Lobby emphasized that the primary goal of the legislation is prevention rather than punishment, stating, "The aim is not to fill Norwegian prisons with perpetrators but to prevent sexual assaults altogether."
This legislative change aligns with similar reforms in Denmark, Iceland, and Finland, all of which have implemented consent-based laws aimed at enhancing the legal protection of women and changing cultural perceptions of consent and sexual violence. The passage of the law is viewed as a forward step in the ongoing struggle for gender equality and legal justice across the Nordic region.