Criminal Law (Rape) Act, 1981

Interpretation.

1.—(1) In this Act—

“a rape offence” means any of the following, namely, rape, attempted rape, aiding, abetting, counselling and procuring rape or attempted rape, and incitement to rape;

“complainant” means a woman in relation to whom a rape offence is alleged to have been committed.

(2) In this Act references to sexual intercourse shall be construed as references to carnal knowledge as defined in section 63 of the Offences against the Person Act, 1861, so far as it relates to natural intercourse (under which such intercourse is deemed complete on proof of penetration only).

(3) In this Act “man” and “woman” include respectively a male and a female person of any age; but this does not affect any rule of law by virtue of which a male person is treated by reason of his age as being incapable of committing an offence of any particular kind.