Reforms will provide greater clarity, update the city’s framework and give better protection to the most vulnerable
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenMartin HuiMartin Hui SC is the current vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, a former deputy director of public prosecutions of Hong Kong and a criminal litigator. Published: 9:30am, 9 Jul 2026In recent years, Hong Kong society has repeatedly confronted the realities of sexual violence, sexual harassment and online sexual exploitation. Survivors’ experiences have made it clear that our sexual offences law is no longer adequate for the world we live in today.Against this backdrop, the government has issued a consultation paper on improving the laws on sexual offences in Hong Kong. It aims to clarify and give a concrete definition to “consent” and to build a modern framework for non‑consensual sexual offences that reflects gender equality and contemporary understandings of sexual autonomy.This requires recognising that both women and men can be victims of rape and other serious sexual offences, rejecting outdated notions that equate the absence of resistance with consent and focusing instead on free and voluntary agreement in the context of fear, coercion and power imbalances.At the same time, it calls for strengthening protection for those who are particularly vulnerable – including children under 16, people with mental impairment, people of different sexual orientations and other marginalised groups – so harmful conduct is properly captured and those most at risk of exploitation or abuse receive effective and meaningful protection.
