ACSVAW's Further Submission on Security Bureau’s Consultation Paper "Improving the Laws on Sexual Offences in Hong Kong" raises two principal concerns, which we ask the government to address: the mistaken belief in consent defence, and the omission of a "persistent child sexual abuse" offence.
Read MoreAn overview of the Association’s response and key discussions regarding the Security Bureau's July 2026 public consultation on 'Improving the Laws on Sexual Offences in Hong Kong'...
Read MoreThe Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women (ACSVAW) and "We Are X – Sexual Offence Reforms Concern Group", a group self-organised by victim-survivors of sexual violence, held a press conference to express their views following the launch of the government's public consultation on Improving the Laws on Sexual Offences in Hong Kong.
Read MoreIn 2000, with the support of Dr. Philip S.L. Beh, the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women established RainLily, Hong Kong's first sexual violence crisis support centre. Since then, Dr. Beh served as an honorary consultant to the Association and RainLily, consistently speaking up for sexual violence victim-survivors with care. Dr. Philip S.L. Beh passed away on 2 July, 2025. His family donated part of the funeral condolences to RainLily. In gratitude for his years of contribution and to continue his selfless spirit and love for RainLily and sexual violence victim-survivors, RainLily has established the Dr. Philip Beh Swan-lip Charitable Memorial Fund.
Read MoreThe Association welcomes the government’s statutory definition of consent, expansion of rape offences, and criminalisation of ‘stealthing’ and liquid splashing. However, we remain deeply concerned that failing to restrict the vague ‘mistaken belief’ defence leaves a critical loophole, allowing courts to misinterpret trauma responses as implied consent.
Read MoreForum on Sexual Offence Law Reform calls for bridging the gap between survivors' experience and legal system. Survivors testify to a system that ignores trauma and permits "absurd" legal defences regarding the "mistaken belief" of consent.
Read MoreAssociation Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women (ACSVAW), Hong Kong Committee on Children's Rights (HKCCR), Plan International Hong Kong, and TALK Hong Kong today launched a Joint Position Paper to urge the Hong Kong Government to close legal loopholes and modernise the city's legal framework regarding child sexual abuse. The paper has garnered the support of 32 signatories from children's rights organisations, anti-sexual violence groups, and individual professionals.
Read MoreFeature | Is "Stealthing" Trivial? － The Sexual Violence Invisible to Law and Public Discourse
Voicing Voices | Excerpts from In-Depth Interviews with Respondents and Sharing from Advocacy Groups
Confused by love and confronted with buried pain, a spirited teenager unleashes chaos with words spoken in a moment of anger. Anonymous notes questioning her actions begin to arrive, altering her quiet life. "The World of Love" explores the quiet resilience it takes to own one’s story — and future. Join RainLily for a charity screening.
Read MoreHong Kong’s outdated sexual offence laws continue to leave victim-survivors of all gender backgrounds vulnerable. Following the Security Bureau's announcement to review the city's sexual offence legislation in the first quarter of this year based on "gender-neutral" principles, the urgency for reform has never been greater. To further explore the prevalence of sexual violence against transgender and gender-diverse individuals and their perspectives on current legislation, Quarks and the Association conducted the "Survey on the Experiences of Sexual Violence Among Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals" between May and August 2025. The survey collected 108 responses, with 102 valid samples.
Read MoreFeature | The Paradox of Persistent Abuse: The Prosecution Dilemma in Cases of Persistent Child Sexual Abuse
Voicing Voices | Q&A with survivor of Persistent Child Sexual Abuse
ACSVAW has published a study focusing on victimisation experiences related to "Non-Consensual Condom Removal" (NCCR), commonly known as 'stealthing'. The research reveals that the responding public broadly considers NCCR a violation of informed consent. It also found that victims come from diverse sexual and gender backgrounds. However, both current community and institutional systems fail to adequately acknowledge victims' experiences, creating significant hurdles when seeking help. The Association urges the authorities to expedite the reform of sexual offence laws to explicitly strengthen protections without gender distinction, and to urgently improve the responsiveness of emergency medical support services for victim-survivors.
Read MoreCo-organised by ACSVAW and CCPL HKU Law, the Forum aims to foster meaningful dialogue between academics, legal practitioners, policymakers, advocates, and other like-minded professionals on how to improve our criminal justice response to sexual violence that truly aligns with the experience of victim-survivors.
Read MoreThe Association is pleased that the Policy Address, published today (17th September), explicitly stated its goal on 'amend the laws on sexual offences' and to 'complete legislative amendments within the current term of the Government'. This is an urgent and vital pledge, with the current administration having just over 650 days remaining. Although the Security Bureau announced a public consultation on sexual offence reform for this year, the process has so far lacked specific details. The Association believes that updating Hong Kong's outdated sexual offences laws is a matter of urgency and we urge the authorities to ensure the reform is both comprehensive and timely.
Read MoreThe Association latest position paper, Toward a More Comprehensive and Timely Direction for Sexual Offence Law Reform in Hong Kong, advocates for the legal embodiment of affirmative consent principles and the creation of a new offence for persistent sexual abuse of children in the upcoming sexual offence reform
Read MoreThe Association supports the passage of the Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill by the Legislative Council and urges improvements.
Read MoreThe recent public disclosure by victim-survivors of 'deepfake' image-based sexual violence has brought the profound impact and explicit gender hostility of such acts into the public discourse in Hong Kong. While some may dismiss deepfake content as unreal and harmless, the lived experiences of victim-survivors clearly demonstrate the tangible and lasting consequences of 'deepfake' IBSV
Read MoreThe Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women came to know Dr Philip S.L. Beh during the organisation's early days, and it was with his support that RainLily was established. His expertise as a forensic pathologist provided invaluable perspectives and crucial support to the founding social work colleagues of the Association.
Read MoreRainLily has released data and analysis on workplace sexual harassment. In collaboration with the "SH.E Sexual Harassment Advocacy Group," RainLily is launching the "Sexual Harassment has No Place Here" campaign, to promote public awareness.
Read MoreThe administration announced in late 2024 its intention to consult the public on sexual offences reform. These amendments will implement over 70 recommendations from two Law Reform Commission (LRC) reports, incorporating insights from other jurisdictions. ACSVAW reviews the 2019 LRC report, "Review of Substantive Sexual Offences," and advocates for more contemporary reforms that better address the realities faced by victim-survivors of sexual violence.
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