Sex Crimes Lawyer

Definition of a sex crime

In criminal law, the term refers to a sexual assault in which an offender forces an unconsenting victim to engage in sexual acts, primarily sexual intercourse. Some jurisdictions use terms such as "sexual assault" or "sexual battery". Some define rape as sexual assault with penetration. Rape can also refer to sexual acts with a consenting person that the law defines as too young to legally consent; this is statutory rape. Colloquially, the term "date rape" or "acquaintance rape" refers to rape that occurs between individuals who are dating or are acquaintances. Hypnotic (sleep-inducing) so-called "date rape drugs" such as flunitrazepam or GHB have also been used by rapists to render their victims unconscious prior to raping them. In the United States, the Uniform Crime Reports use "forcible rape" to refer only to rapes against females, by males; however other jurisdictions can define rape to include sexual assaults on, and by, members of either sex. Laws defining rape and associated issues, such as the "age of consent", vary greatly between different jurisdictions. For example, some jurisdictions make the distinction that even if intercourse was begun with the consent of both partners; the act becomes rape if one partner changes their mind during the act.