Marital Rape Exception – Chennaionline

The Infinite Saree, a powerful new symbol of women’s dignity and justice, was unveiled last night by Supreet K Singh, Filmmaker and Cofounder & CEO of the UN-accredited nonprofit Red Dot Foundation at The Royal Opera House, Mumbai. The unveiling brought together over one hundred politicians, diplomats, activists, influencers, domestic abuse survivors, and allies united in calling for the removal of the Marital Rape Exception from the Indian Penal Code. Spanning four kilometres, the Infinite Saree is the world’s longest saree ever created. Designed by leading fashion designer Nivedita Saboo, it functions as a living, embroidered and custom-printed petition bearing hundreds of signatures demanding justice. The fiery ambré couture piece—long enough to circle the base of the Taj Mahal twice—draws from a 2,000-year-old legend of a woman protected from assault when her saree became an infinite, life-saving garment. “Every signature on the Infinite Saree is a thread of courage and every fold a testament to a woman’s right to choose and refuse to be silenced. It carries the voices of those who believe consent is a human right, not a marital privilege. India records thousands of domestic and sexual violence cases each year, yet married women—who form the majority of survivors—remain unprotected because marital rape is still not criminalised. We cannot afford further delays. The right to say no does not end at marriage, and the law must finally recognise marital rape as rape—without exceptions, conditions, or delay—upholding consent as central to marriage and affirming married women’s constitutional rights to safety, dignity, and bodily autonomy,” said Supreet K. Singh, Co-founder &amp; CEO, Red Dot Foundation. Saboo said, “The Infinite Saree uses culture to challenge and create reform in culture. ”It honours one of India’s oldest symbols of womanhood, while turning it into a movement for equality and reform. I am deeply proud to have crafted a masterpiece that carries such emotional and cultural weight. It is proof that India’s traditions can also be the foundation for its progress. With the Infinite Saree, India’s oldest and most iconic garment becomes its newest symbol of justice and change.” According to India’s National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) and recent reporting, nearly one in three Indian women has experienced spousal physical or sexual violence. The data also shows that around 18 percent of married women say they are unable to refuse sex to their husbands, while one in five men admit they would become angry if their wives refused. Yet more than 90 percent of women who suffer sexual violence never seek help or report it to anyone. Zaaria Patni, survivor and advocate, emphasised the collective power of solidarity. “When lawmakers, activists, survivors, and citizens stand together, we do more than start a conversation. We create the pressure that makes change inevitable. Marital rape must no longer hide behind the guise of marriage,” she said, calling for urgent legal reform rooted in dignity and consent. Urgent Need for Legal Reform The unveiling of the Infinite Saree comes at a critical moment in India’s legal debate on marital rape. Under current law, non-consensual sex with a wife aged 18 or above is not recognised as rape, leaving millions of married women without legal protection. While the Supreme Court criminalised sex with a wife under 18 in 2017, the exception continues for adult women. After a split verdict by the Delhi High Court in 2022, the Supreme Court consolidated multiple petitions and initiated hearings in 2024, later deferring proceedings. In December 2025, Member of Parliament Dr. Shashi Tharoor termed the marital rape exception a serious injustice and introduced a private member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha seeking its removal, calling it a colonial-era provision that undermines women’s rights to equality, dignity, and bodily autonomy. Actor and campaign ambassador Rahul Bhat added, &quot;Most of us grow up believing that home is the safest place for all. But for many women, it isn’t. And the hardest part to accept is that a woman can face violence from the very person she loves, and our laws still don’t fully protect her. Every woman deserves dignity, respect, and the basic right to feel safe, especially in her own home. This isn’t just a legal issue. It’s a human one…I’ve signed the petition to remove the Marital Rape Exception from the criminal code, and I hope you will too." Kala Ghoda Arts Festival to Display Infinite Saree Following its unveiling at the Opera House, the Infinite Saree will be showcased at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2026 at Elphinstone College, Mumbai from January 31 to February 8. By placing the installation in one of India’s most prominent cultural spaces, the campaign aims to engage a wider public and spark conversations on consent, marital rape, and women’s rights—positioning legal reform as a cultural, social, and constitutional imperative, not a private issue. With the matter currently under consideration before the Supreme Court of India, the Infinite Saree campaign is part of a broader effort to maintain public momentum and support legal advocacy ahead of the next hearing. Red Dot Foundation intends to carry forward this work by mobilising citizen voices, engaging institutions, and reinforcing the call for a relook at the marital rape exception. To learn more, visit the Infinite Saree website, which features a short film and a link to the ongoing online petition. People can also show support by sharing on social media using #InfiniteSaree. Join us in signing the petition here - https://www.infinitesaree.com/