SC allows all women, including unmarried and minors, to medically terminate pregnancy till 24 weeks

New Delhi: Sexual assault by husband can take the form of rape, the Supreme Court said in the first legal recognition of marital rape in the country on Thursday, while also ruling that unmarried women are entitled to seek abortion of pregnancies arising out of a consensual relationship at 20-24 weeks.

A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud noted that married women may also form part of survivors of sexual assault or rape. “A woman may become pregnant due to a non-consensual act by her husband. Sex and gender-based violence in all its form has been part of families,” the top court said.