What is rape?

The legal definition of rape is when someone puts their penis in another person’s vagina, anus or mouth, without the person’s permission.

What is sexual assault by penetration?

Assault by penetration is when someone puts an object or any part of the body other than their penis (for example fingers) into another person’s vagina or anus, without the person’s permission.

The word “consent” in this context is defined in law. A person consents if he or she agrees by choice and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice. The law does not require the victim to have resisted physically to prove a lack of consent. A boy or girl under the age of 16 cannot consent in law to penetration.

Rape and sexual assault do not have to involve violence or force, cause physical injury or leave visible marks.

What is sexual assault and indecent assault?

It is an offence to touch someone else with sexual intent if the other person has not consented to such touching and if the person committing the offence does not reasonably believe that the other person consented.

What is indecent exposure?

It is an offence for someone to expose their genitals if they intend that someone else will see them and if they intend to cause that person ‘alarm or distress’.

What is grooming?

It is an offence to befriend a child on the Internet or by other means and meet or intend to meet the child with the intention of abusing them.