There are a number of sexual offences under the law of England and Wales.
General interpretation
Consent
As to consent, see sections 74 to 77 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
"Sexual"
As to the meaning of "sexual", see section 78 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Touching
As to touching, see section 79(8) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Incitement
As to incitement to commit a sexual act, that would amount to a listed sexual offence if it was done in England and Wales, outside the United Kingdom, see section 2 of the Sexual Offences (Conspiracy and Incitement) Act 1996.
Abolition of presumption of sexual incapacity
As to the abolition of the presumption of sexual incapacity, see section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1993.
Notification requirements
As to notification requirements, see sections 80 to 92 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. See formerly Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997.
Orders
Sexual offenders may be subject to the following orders, in particular:
Sections 104 to 113 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 made provision for sexual offences prevention orders. Sections 114 to 122 of that Act made provision for foreign travel orders. Sections 123 to 129 of that Act made provision for risk of sexual harm orders. Sections 104 to 113 and 114 to 122 and 123 to 129 of that Act were repealed, for England and Wales, by paragraphs 3(1) and 5(1) of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Entry and search
As to the power to enter and search the relevant offender's home address, see section 96B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Anonymity of victims
As to the anonymity of victims, see the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992.
Specified sexual offences
Part 2 of Schedule 15 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (as amended by section 130(8) of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) contains a list of offences that are "specified sexual offences" for the purposes of sections 244ZA and 325 of that Act.
Ormerod characterizes the offences under sections 1 to 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 as non-consensual offences. [1] Card, Gillespie and Hirst characterize the offences under sections 1 to 8 of that Act as non-consensual offences. [2]
The offence of rape is created by section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Ormerod characterizes the offences under sections 5 to 8 as offences against children under 13. [3]
The following offences replace offences under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000: