Symposium on Marital Rape in Sri Lanka: Issue that needs discussing

The SLMA Expert Committee on Women’s Health organized a symposium on ‘Marital Rape in Sri Lanka: Issue that needs addressing’, was held at the Auditorium of the SLMA. This was held to commemorate The 16-day activism for prevention of violence against women & girls 2023.

Prof. Indira Kitulwatte, Professor in Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya spoke on the Medico-Legal aspects of the topic. In addition, Dr. Maheshan Ganeshan, Consultant Psychiatrist, NIMH, Dr. Sepali Kottegoda, Director Programmes of Women’s Economic Rights & Media Collective, Colombo, Hon. Justice Kumudini Wickramasinghe, Judge of Supreme Court of Sri Lanka also addressed the symposium.

The depth and the breadth of the issue and the need of law changes in Sri Lanka was highlighted. Further, the need of sexual education, respect to the rights of individuals was emphasized as well.