There are a number of
sexual offence
Sex and the law deals with the regulation by law of human sexual activity. Sex laws vary from one place or jurisdiction to another, and have varied over time. Unlawful sexual acts are called sex crimes.
Some laws regarding sexual activity are ...
s under the law of
England and Wales
England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...
, the law of
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, and the law of
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
(which function as three separate systems for this purpose).
![Eurostat_rapes_reported_to_police_in_UK_2008-2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Eurostat_rapes_reported_to_police_in_UK_2008-2015.png)
Rape is defined the same way for all three legal systems as:
It is therefore only legally possible for a biological woman to be guilty of rape if they assist a male assailant in an attack on a third party. Otherwise, a female can be charged with assault by penetration, which carries similar sentences to rape. If a man has sex with someone under the age of 16 then he is also guilty of rape as a child cannot lawfully consent to sex.
Of women aged 16 to 59 in England & Wales interviewed for the 2006/07
British Crime Survey
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (previously called the British Crime Survey) is a systematic victim study, currently carried out by Kantar Public (formally known as BMRB Ltd) on behalf of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Curated by ...
, 0.5% (1 in every 200) reported that they had suffered rape or attempted rape in the previous year, equating to approximately 85,000 nationally. In the same year, less than 800 persons were convicted of rape.
England and Wales
The following offences are created for England and Wales by the
Sexual Offences Act 2003
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
It partly replaced the Sexual Offences Act 1956 with more specific and explicit wording. It also created several new offences such as non-consensual voyeuris ...
:
*
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
(s.1)
*Assault by penetration (s.2)
*
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
(s.3)
*Causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent (s.4)
*Rape of a child under 13 (s.5)
*Assault of a child under 13 by penetration (s.6)
*Sexual assault of a child under 13 (s.7)
*Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity (s.8)
*Sexual activity with a child (s.9)
*Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity (s.10)
*Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child (s.11)
*Causing a child to watch a sexual act (s.12)
*Child sex offences committed by children or young persons (s.13)
*Arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence (s.14)
*Meeting a child following sexual grooming etc. (s.15)
*Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity with a child (s.16)
*Abuse of position of trust: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity (s.17)
*Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity in the presence of a child (s.18)
*Abuse of position of trust: causing a child to watch a sexual act (s.19)
*Sexual activity with a child family member (s.25)
*Inciting a child family member to engage in sexual activity (s.26)
*Sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice (s.30)
*Causing or inciting a person, with a mental disorder impeding choice, to engage in sexual activity (s.31)
*Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder impeding choice (s.32)
*Causing a person, with a mental disorder impeding choice, to watch a sexual act (s.33)
*Inducement, threat or deception to procure sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder (s.34)
*Causing a person with a mental disorder to engage in or agree to engage in sexual activity by inducement, threat or deception (s.35)
*Engaging in sexual activity in the presence, procured by inducement, threat or deception, of a person with a mental disorder (s.36)
*Causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act by inducement, threat or deception (s.37)
*Care workers: sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder (s.38)
*Care workers: causing or inciting sexual activity (s.39)
*Care workers: sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder (s.40)
*Care workers: causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act (s.41)
*Paying for sexual services of a child (s.47)
*Causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography (s.48)
*Controlling a child prostitute or a child involved in pornography (s.49)
*Arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography (s.50)
*Causing or inciting prostitution for gain (s.52)
*Controlling prostitution for gain (s.53)
*Trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation (s.57)
*Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation (s.58)
*Trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation (s.59)
*Administering a substance with intent (s.61)
*Committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence (s.62)
*Trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence (s.63)
*Sex with an adult relative: penetration (s.64)
*Sex with an adult relative: consenting to penetration (s.65)
*
Exposure (s.66)
*
Voyeurism
Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature.
The term comes from the French ''voir'' which means "to see". A ...
(s.67)
*
Intercourse with an animal (s.69)
*
Sexual penetration of a corpse (s.70)
*Sexual activity in a public lavatory (s.71)
For other offences, see
Prostitution in the United Kingdom
In Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland), the act of engaging in sex as part of an exchange of various sexual services for money is legal, but a number of related activities, including soliciting in a public place, kerb crawling, owning ...
.
Abolished offences
See
History of English criminal law#Sexual Offences
Northern Ireland
The following offences are created by the
Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008
The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 provides a legislative framework for sexual offences in Northern Ireland. The corresponding legislation in England and Wales and in Scotland are the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and the Sexual Offence ...
:
*
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
(art. 5)
*Assault by penetration (art. 6)
*Sexual assault (art. 7)
*Causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent (art. 8)
*Rape of a child under 13 (art. 12)
*Assault of a child under 13 by penetration (art. 13)
*Sexual assault of a child under 13 (art. 14)
*Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity (art. 15)
*Sexual activity with a child (art. 16)
*Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity (art. 17)
*Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child (art. 18)
*Causing a child to watch a sexual act (art. 19)
*Sexual offences against children committed by children or young persons (art. 20)
*Arranging or facilitating commission of a sex offence against a child (art. 21)
*Meeting a child following sexual grooming etc. (art. 22)
*Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity with a child (art. 23)
*Abuse of position of trust: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity (art. 24)
*Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity in the presence of a child (art. 25)
*Abuse of position of trust: causing a child to watch a sexual act (art. 26)
*Sexual activity with a child family member (art. 32)
*Inciting a child family member to engage in sexual activity (art. 33)
*Paying for sexual services of a child (art. 37)
*Causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography (art. 38)
*Controlling a child prostitute or a child involved in pornography (art. 39)
*Arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography (art. 40)
*Indecent photographs of persons aged 16 or 17 (art. 42)
*Sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice (art. 43)
*Causing or inciting a person, with a mental disorder impeding choice, to engage in sexual activity (art. 44)
*Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder impeding choice (art. 45)
*Causing a person, with a mental disorder impeding choice, to watch a sexual act (art. 46)
*Inducement, threat or deception to procure sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder (art. 47)
*Causing a person with a mental disorder to engage in or agree to engage in sexual activity by inducement, threat or deception (art. 48)
*Engaging in sexual activity in the presence, procured by inducement, threat or deception, of a person with a mental disorder (art. 49)
*Causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act by inducement, threat or deception (art. 50)
*Care workers: sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder (art. 51)
*Care workers: causing or inciting sexual activity (art. 52)
*Care workers: sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder (art. 53)
*Care workers: causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act (art. 54)
*Loitering or soliciting for purposes of prostitution (art. 59)
*Kerb-crawling (art. 60)
*Persistent soliciting (art. 61)
*Causing or inciting prostitution for gain (art. 62)
*Controlling prostitution for gain (art. 63)
*Keeping a brothel used for prostitution (art. 64)
*Administering a substance with intent (art. 65)
*Committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence (art. 66)
*Trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence (art. 67)
*Sex with an adult relative: penetration (art. 68)
*Sex with an adult relative: consenting to penetration (art. 69)
*Exposure (art. 70)
*Voyeurism (art. 71)
*Intercourse with an animal (art. 73)
*Sexual penetration of a corpse (art. 74)
*Sexual activity in a public lavatory (art. 75)
Scotland
The following offences are created by the
Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009
The Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 (asp 9) is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. It creates a code of sexual offences that is said to be intended to reform that area of the law. The corresponding legislation in England and Wales is the Sexu ...
:
*
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
(s.1)
*Sexual assault by penetration (s.2)
*Sexual assault (s.3)
*Sexual coercion (s.4)
*Coercing a person into being present during a sexual activity (s.5)
*Coercing a person into looking at a sexual image (s.6)
*Communicating indecently etc. (s.7)
*Sexual exposure (s.8)
*Voyeurism (s.9)
*Administering a substance for sexual purposes (s.11)
*
Rape of a young child (s.18)
*Sexual assault on a young child by penetration (s.19)
*Sexual assault on a young child (s.20)
*Causing a young child to participate in a sexual activity (s.21)
*Causing a young child to be present during a sexual activity (s.22)
*Causing a young child to look at a sexual image (s.23)
*Communicating indecently with a young child etc. (s.24)
*Sexual exposure to a young child (s.25)
*Voyeurism towards a young child (s.26)
*Having intercourse with an older child (s.28)
*Engaging in penetrative sexual activity with or towards an older child (s.29)
*Engaging in sexual activity with or towards an older child (s.30)
*Causing an older child to participate in a sexual activity (s.31)
*Causing an older child to be present during a sexual activity (s.32)
*Causing an older child to look at a sexual image (s.33)
*Communicating indecently with an older child etc. (s.34)
*Sexual exposure to an older child (s.35)
*Voyeurism towards an older child (s.36)
*Older children engaging in sexual conduct with each other (s.37)
*Sexual abuse of trust (s.42)
*Sexual abuse of trust of a mentally disordered person (s.46)
For other offences, see
Prostitution in the United Kingdom
In Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland), the act of engaging in sex as part of an exchange of various sexual services for money is legal, but a number of related activities, including soliciting in a public place, kerb crawling, owning ...
Offences under the former law:
*Rape.
*
Clandestine injury to women
Clandestine may refer to:
* Secrecy, the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups, perhaps while sharing it with other individuals
* Clandestine operation, a secret intelligence or military activity
Music and entertainmen ...
(e.g. sex with a sleeping woman).
*Indecent assault.
*Sexual intercourse with a girl over 12 but under 13, s.3(1) of the
Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 1976
Sex is the biological distinction of an organism between male and female.
Sex or SEX may also refer to:
Biology and behaviour
*Animal sexual behaviour
**Copulation (zoology)
**Human sexual activity
** Non-penetrative sex, or sexual outercourse
...
(c.67); and with a girl over 13 but under 16, s.4(1) of the same Act.
*Lewd, indecent or libidinous practices, common law; with a girl over 12 but under 16, s.5 of the 1976 Act.
*Child pornography, ss.52 and 52A of the
Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament which makes provision for a wide range of civic government matters.
Effects of the Act
Parts I and II of the Act deal with licensing by local authorities of a r ...
(c.45).
*Gross and shameless indecency between males, s.80(7) of the
Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980
The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom (citation 1980 c.62). It decriminalized private homosexual acts between two consenting adults in Scotland when it came into effect on 1 February 1981.
"Subjec ...
(c.62); formerly s.7 of the 1976 Act.
*Incest, s.2A. of the 1976 Act (added by the
Incest and Related Offences (Scotland) Act 1986
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...
(c.36), s.1; formerly the
Incest Act 1567
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close kinship, relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by Affinity (law), affinity (marriage ...
(c.15).
*Intercourse with a stepchild, s.2B of the 1976 Act (added by the 1986 Act).
*Bestiality.
See also
*
Rape statistics
Statistics on rape and other sexual assaults are commonly available in industrialized countries, and have become better documented throughout the world. Inconsistent definitions of rape, different rates of reporting, recording, prosecution and ...
*
Crime in the United Kingdom
Crime in the United Kingdom describes acts of violent crime and non-violent crime that take place within the United Kingdom. Courts and police systems are separated into three sections, based on the different judicial systems of England and Wale ...
References
External links
Project Sapphire—
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sexual Offences In The United Kingdom
*
Offences
Crime in the United Kingdom by type