Under current law, the statute of limitations on prosecuting someone for rape or sexual battery is 25 years after the alleged commission or attempted commission of the crime. That time limit was increased in 2015, when the statute of limitations stood at 20 years.
The cosponsors of the bill cited changes to felony sex crime statutes in seven other states, including Kentucky and West Virginia.
The new law seeks to change a “loophole” in current Ohio law that limits prosecution for spousal rape in cases where no “threat of force or violence” exists.
Separate legislation is currently in the Ohio House regarding spousal rape exceptions, and received its first hearing on March 17. The bipartisan bill seeks to remove the phrase “not the spouse of the offender” from laws on rape, sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and gross sexual imposition.
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