Editor's Note: This article discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A bill banning spousal rape is officially a new law and in effect in Ohio as of Aug. 9, 2024.

It makes all sexual assault illegal regardless of marital status and closes a loophole in Ohio’s revised code. Previously, the Ohio Revised Code could have precluded people from being charged for rape in several cases when a victim is someone's spouse.

What You Need To Know

  • Ohio has officially eliminated a loophole in the revised code for spousal rape 

  • Legislation has made its way through the legislature for several years, and it officially passed this general assembly 

  • The overall passage of the law has bipartisan support

Renee Jones is a Cleveland-native, who is now a therapist in Florida. She works to help women with various topics including assisting rape victims, offering support on their feelings.

She is also a rape survivor herself. Jones says she was in her mid-20s when her former husband raped her.

"My first emotions was numb," said Jones, MS, CMHP. "I had none. I didn't know how to feel. I didn’t know what to feel. I didn’t know what emotions was. I felt and thought what we gave me. I felt the pain. I felt the hurt. I felt nasty."

During that time—the 1980s—she involved law enforcement, but she felt alone with the way they responded. Jones says a victim already goes through several emotions. 

"They were asking questions like 'what make(s) you feel like it was rape?' 'Well, you know, aren't you married to him?' 'How long you all been married?' The basic questions they would ask made me feel angry and made me feel like 'what does that have to do with anything?'"

Eventually Jones divorced her former husband but says as a victim she felt stigmatized. Plus, she had little support. 

"They talked to me," Jones said. "And, they looked at me and they took the pictures. But, they done nothing. nothing, for the rape." 

Now that spousal rape is illegal in Ohio, Jones says it’s a step in the right direction. But she believes there’s still more work to be done in the Ohio. She says support is always needed.

"Just because the law has changed doesn't mean everyone that we report this to is going to look at it the same way," Jones said. "So what do we still have to prove that what we said no means no." 

Advocates for sexual victims see this as a live-saving measure. Several people for years have been wanting something to be done about the loophole.

Emily Gemar, the director of Public Policy at the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, says the new law could save the lives of those who have has experiences similar to Jones. 

"Lawmakers and advocates in Ohio have tried and failed to close the spousal rape loophole since 1985," Gemar said. "Many people weren't able to go get what we call a sexually oriented offense protection order because this conduct wasn't considered a sexually oriented offense under Ohio's revised code. And, so there were key options for safety and for justice that they just did not have access to. And now some positive outcomes can be made."