UK Home Office Guidance Warns Asylum Seekers Rape Is Illegal

The UK Home Office has issued leaflets to asylum seekers detailing that rape is illegal and defining consent, noting that laws and customs in the UK may differ from their home countries. The document also outlines gender equality principles in the UK, such as women’s rights to work and study without male permission. The release of these guidelines has already drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers and commentators.

• The UK Home Office is distributing leaflets to asylum seekers.
• The leaflets warn that rape of women or children is illegal.
• The document defines ‘consent’.
• It states that UK laws and customs may differ from those in asylum seekers’ home countries.
• A section on ‘Gender Equality’ explains women’s rights in the UK.
• The guidance has faced immediate backlash from opposition figures.