Ban rough sex defence; protect women from violence and abuse
This party wants to ban using 'rough sex' as a legal defence in murder or serious harm cases. They want women's prisons, refuges, and other facilities to be single-sex only. They also oppose pornography that shows violence against women, and support laws that protect women and girls from sexual abuse and violence.
What they say they'll do
Ban the use of 'rough sex' as a legal defence in murder or serious harm cases
Protect women's and girls' access to single-sex spaces including prisons, refuges, and rape crisis centres
Oppose so-called 'hate crime' legislation
Remove 'gender identity' from legislation to protect sex-based rights
Oppose pornography that includes violence and sexual abuse of women
Support prostitution reform
Who this affects
Women and girls
The party's proposals would mean women and girls have legally protected access to single-sex spaces such as prisons, refuges, changing rooms, and rape crisis centres.
Victims of violent crime
A ban on using 'rough sex' as a legal defence would remove this argument from murder and serious harm trials.
In their own words
“The Women's Rights Party will work with other groups in calling for a ban on the use of "rough sex" as a defence in a murder case or a case involving serious harm.”
“Women and girls have the right to single-sex gatherings and facilities that preserve women's and girls' safety and dignity. These include, but are not limited to toilets, changing rooms, prisons, refuges, rape crisis centres, saunas, swimming facilities, hospital rooms and other facilities.”
“The Women's Rights Party opposes pornography, which includes filmed prostitution, rough sex, strangulation, other forms of violence, and sexual abuse.”
Summarised neutrally from The New Zealand Women’s Rights Party’s own official policy (as at 2026-07-16) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Crime & Justice →