A women who has been raped is not an accomplice. She is the victim of an outrage. If the woman gave her consent, there is no offence unless she happens to be a married woman in which case consequences of adultery may follow.
In the case of a girl below the age of consent, her consent will not matter so far as the offence of rape is concerned. In all sexual offences, including unnatural offences, the evidence of the complainant or the prosecutrix has to be treated with caution.
Though the complainant or the prosecutrix is not an accomplice, and though corroborarion is not essential before there can be a conviction, the necessity of corroboration must be present to the mind of the Judge and in the case of trial by Jury there must be an indication in this charge to the Jury about the necessity of corroboration of such evidence though such corroboration may be dispensed with in the particular circumstances of a case when it is safe to do so.
When the child on whom the sexual offence is committed is of tender years and has no opportunity of being tutored having regard to her demeanour, corroboration may be dispensed with.