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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsSocial IssuesStarted 10yrs agoActive 2yrs ago

Should marital rape be classified and punished as severely as non-marital rape?

Marital rape is nonconsensual sex in which the perpetrator is the victim's spouse. Marital rape was not criminalized by many countries until the mid-nineteenth century. In 1993 the U.N. designated marital rape as a human rights violation. Marital rape is illegal in Australia, Canada, Ireland, England, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil. Marital rape is not a criminal offence in China and India.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 390k America voters.

83%
Yes
17%
No
81%
Yes
10%
No
3%
Yes, and consentual sex with a spouse under the age of 18 should be classified as statutory rape
6%
No, it should be classified as domestic violence
1%
No, marriage provides legal subordination for a spouse to have sex with the other spouse

Historical Support

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Trend of how important this issue is for 390k America voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from America voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @59G52LTfrom Oklahoma  answered…6yrs6Y

No, it's your fault you married the man

 @599YBF2from California  answered…6yrs6Y

Marital rape should count as two offences (spouse abuse and rape).

 @592WL5Sfrom Pennsylvania  answered…6yrs6Y

Yes. Rape is a crime, no matter the relations of the victim and the rapist.

 @5BY8M8Wfrom Maine  answered…6yrs6Y

Yes. But in case a married person declines having sex with their spouse, after a set amount of time ( for example 6 months ), the spouse would have the right to file for divorce without having to pay mortgage. Also, in case married person declines having sex with their spouse and this leads to the spouse having extra-marital affairs, this could not be grounds for divorce or legal persecution.

 @5BP37LBfrom Maine  answered…6yrs6Y

Marital rape should be punished even more severely than non-marital rape.

 @8ZRCRS9 from Georgia  answered…4yrs4Y

Yes, but this should be determined at the state and local level

 @5BPWQDHfrom California  answered…6yrs6Y

Who decides whether it is rape? If there is unassailable evidence that it is rape (e.g., unaltered video showing intent and action), only then should it be treated as rape.

 @8JCJLWV from Texas  answered…6yrs6Y

Not enough knowledge to make an informed vote

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2yrs2Y

Elizabeth Warren Walks Back Murder Comments

Congressional Democrats broadly denounced the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Friday morning, after Republicans started accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren of excusing violence.“No one's condoning this,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). “Violence never is the right answer for anything. And it was a horrible murder, a tragic loss for his family.” Warren this week condemned the shooting, but added that people “can be pushed only so far.”"We'll say it over and over," Warren said on MSNBC’S “The ReidOut.” " Violence is never the answer. This guy [Luigi Mangione] gets a trial who's allegedly killed the CEO of UnitedHealth, but you can only push people so far, and then they start to take matters into their own hands."In a statement to POLITICO, Warren said, “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.” Top Republicans denounced Warren's comments and the walked-back rhetoric, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) calling it “inappropriate and dangerous.”Some House Democrats asked about the incident on Thursday pivoted the conversation to discuss policy options on health care or gun safety.“I don't really know that this is really a space that Congress normally weighs in on,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). “But at the end of the day, I think it’s an opportunity, because now people are talking about health care and to talk about the fact that this industry has honestly not been as helpful as it could be.”“Violence is never the answer,” said Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.). “We know that there are people suffering, there’s great challenges in healthcare. There's great challenges, and people have, in fact, been wronged, but a process of governance is the way to address that, not violence.”And Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) who denounced the murder, said the killer should be prosecuted and that “I do know that allegedly a ghost gun was used, and we should also ban ghost guns. There's no reason for them beyond the streets.”

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Based on 390k responses to this question.

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iSideWith. (2026). “Should marital rape be classified and punished as severely as non-marital rape?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://www.isidewith.com/polls/2543624470

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