Nora Scheidegger

Nora Scheidegger is a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (CSL) in Freiburg, Germany, specializing in criminal law with emphasis on sexual offense legislation and legal reforms across European jurisdictions.

Her core research areas include:

• Criminal Law and Procedure
• Sexual Assault and Rape Law Reform
• Human Rights Compliance in Criminal Justice
• Comparative Analysis of European Legal Systems
• Consent-Based vs. Coercion-Based Legal Frameworks

Dr. Scheidegger leads the groundbreaking project "From Coercion to Consent: Rape Law Reform in Switzerland," examining the reconceptualization of rape as a violation of sexual autonomy under international human rights obligations. She also co-heads the multinational "All Sexual Assault Laws" initiative with scholars including T. Hörnle and V. Bergelson, analyzing the global shift from violence-based to consent-centered definitions of sexual assault. Her work directly addresses legislative gaps in traditional criminal laws requiring physical violence for sexual assault convictions.

Contact: n.scheidegger@csl.mpg.de | Phone: +49 761 7081-250