Hong Kong consults on sex law reform over cult coercion, campus and online abuse
Proposed reforms would tighten the definition of consent, widen incest and underage sex rules, and cover digital sexual images such as deepfakes
Cults luring victims overseas for sex in a bid to “change their fate”, as well as suggestive games hosted at orientation camps in Hong Kong could amount to sexual offences, authorities have warned, as they launched a public consultation on the city’s sexual law reforms.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung on Tuesday clarified that sexual offences involving misleading claims would fall within the city’s legal remit if the deception took place in Hong Kong, even if the incident occurred overseas.
He was speaking at a Legislative Council panel meeting in response to a question from Chan Hok-fung regarding “sexual favours”, often used by religious cults to defraud believers into “changing their fate”.
As part of the sweeping overhaul, Tang said a new statutory definition of consent for sexual acts would be introduced.
“In such situations, it would be assumed that the act is non-consensual and the victim is mistaken as to the nature or purpose of the sexual act,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the Security Bureau announced the launch of a month-long public consultation on the reforms and invited members of the public to submit their views by August 5.