Charleston, WV (AP)- The House of Delegates advanced a bill criminalizing certain sexual assaults against a spouse in West Virginia for the first time.
The bill removes marriage as a defense to first- and third-degree sexual assault.
The legislation now goes to Governor Jim Justice for final approval.
There are two crimes of sexual violence outlined in the state code: penetrative assault and the forcible touching of a person’s sexual organs, breasts, and some other areas by another person.
For the latter offense, there exists a martial exemption that shields a person from conviction if the crime is perpetrated against their spouse.
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