Petition · past parliament
Equal responsibilities under the effects of alcohol on sex allegations
Rejected
11 signatures
What the petition asks
The 2003 Sexual Offences Act significantly changed the law on consent. Whereas it used to be sufficient for an accused person to rely on a belief in consent, even if this was passive acquiesance, it became necessary to demonstrate that their belief was, in all the circumstances, reasonable.
It’s part of a new ‘toolkit’ designed to increase the rate of convictions in rape trials.
In other words it moved from what a person believed, to what they ought to have believed. In legal terms this was a shift from a subjective test to a subjective one with an objective element.
When both parties have voluntarily consumed significant amounts of alcohol, is it reasonable to expect only one party to take responsibility for ensuring the other would have consented despite intoxication?
In other words it moved from what a person believed, to what they ought to have believed. In legal terms this was a shift from a subjective test to a subjective one with an objective element.
When both parties have voluntarily consumed significant amounts of alcohol, is it reasonable to expect only one party to take responsibility for ensuring the other would have consented despite intoxication?
Why it was rejected
It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.
Petitions need to call on the Government or Parliament to take a specific action. You could start a new petition explaining clearly what specific change you would like to see to the law.
Timeline
| 27 Jun 2016 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 13 Jul 2016 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
11
Status
Rejected
Rejected
13 Jul 2016
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.