Sweden is considering a new law to make explicit verbal agreement a requirement for intimacy, otherwise judges in sexual assault cases will consider the aggressor a perpetrator of rape.

Current Swedish law prosecutes an aggressor only if there is proof that he or she used violence or coerced the other party into having sex, placing the burden of proof upon the victim, The Associated Press reported.

The new law says that if verbal consent is not given, both parties must demonstrate a clear desire to engage in sexual activity. This portion of the law could produce a grey area, however, and would fall to the discretion of a judge or jury to determine what constitutes clear desire.

“Society is standing by your side,” Sweden’s prime minister, Stefan Löfven, said Thursday in an effort to connect with sexual assault victims who hope to see the proposal pass parliament. Pending approval, the bill will take effect on July 1.

The bill follows massive protests against Swedish police Tuesday after the nation’s law enforcement warned women to “stay inside or walk in pair” to avoid a slew of gang rapes that have plagued the country this fall. Sweden’s rape rate is among the highest in the world, and a Swedish music festival canceled its 2018 event due to the spree of rapes that took place at the event. Attendees reported three rapes and 22 sexual assaults by the festival’s conclusion in early July. (RELATED: Protests Rage In Sweden After Cops Tell Women To ‘Stay inside’ To Avoid Gang Rapes).

The proposal comes after a “#MeToo” hashtag swept across America and expanded globally, encouraging governments to reassess sexual harassment, assault, and rape laws at the federal level and in the workplace.

The Swedish bill also serves as a response to a growing climate of concern over the influx of migrants coming to Sweden from war-torn countries who many citizens fear have contributed to the prevalence of rape in Sweden.

Swedish deputy prime minister, Isabella Lövin, said she expects parliament to approve the proposal in a vote Thursday, according to the AP.

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