Sexual Assault Laws Passed in NC Legislature

A wide-ranging legislative package reforming sexual assault laws passed both chambers of the NC General Assembly unanimously today, with two elements closing decades-old legal loopholes on the definition of rape that set North Carolina apart. Pisgah Legal and community partners have worked diligently to advocate for these changes.

Before passage of these laws, North Carolina was the only state in the nation where continuing sex with someone after that person revoked consent was not considered a crime.

The legislation passed Thursday also increases the statute of limitation for a child sexual assault victim to sue, expands the duty of anyone over 18 to report knowledge of a sex crime against a juvenile, requires school personnel training on child sex abuse and sex trafficking, bans online conduct by high-risk sex offenders that endangers children, and prohibits attempts to drug someone’s food or drink. Read the full article in Carolina Public Press