Push to criminalise marital rape intensifies in the Cooks

Calls to make marital rape a crime in the Cook Islands have intensified.

RNZi reports currently, Cook Islands law does not recognise marital rape as a crime.

There are however, proposed Crimes Act amendments which include changes to make marital rape a criminal offence.

The Cook Islands News said since running a story on the issue over the weekend, it had a strong public response pushing for the law change to be sped up.

The Cook Islands National Council of Women president, Vaine Wichman, said they are keen to support the passage of the Family Law Bill because it would provide more protection and justice for women and their children as compared to the current legislation.

The secretary of Internal Affairs, which looks after women's welfare in the Cook Islands, Bredina Drollet, earlier said she understood the Crimes Amendment Bill was with Crown Law, who had a drafter in New Zealand reviewing it.

She said it's anticipated the bill would go to Parliament later this year.