sex and the law: how does it affect you?

by John Illman and Rachel Newcombe

What is the age of consent? How old do you have to be before you can legally go into a sex shop and buy a vibrator?

When it comes to sex and the law, knowing what you can and can't do, and when, is crucial. With recent trends such as the increased use of the Internet, the rising number of sex shops and changing attitudes towards pornography, the need for a modernized law of sexual behaviour became more pressing. In 2003 the Government updated the Sexual Offences Act to reflect current, rather than Victorian, attitudes to sex. The new Act focuses on aspects previously overlooked by the law and introduces new changes that aim to protect the vulnerable and iron out any gender differences.

This is a guide to many of the major issues and offers an insight into how sex is viewed in the eyes of the law:

age of consent (including advice on teacher-pupil relationships)
medical confidentiality and the under-16s
rape and indecent assault
indecent exposure or 'flashing'
'peeping toms'
illicit sex within the family
pornography
cybersex
sadomasochism
necrophilia
discrimination and the law