Sexual Offences Act 2003

Sexual Offences Act 2003
Act of Parliament
	Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to make new provision about sexual offences, their prevention and the protection of children from harm from other sexual acts, and for connected purposes.
Citation	2003 c. 42
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	20 November 2003
Commencement	20 November 2003 (sections 138 and 141–143); 1 May 2004 (rest of act);
Other legislation
Amends	Town Police Clauses Act 1847; Offences Against the Person Act 1861; Sexual Offences Act 1956; Street Offences Act 1959; Sexual Offences Act 1967; Theft Act 1968; Criminal Justice Act 1972; Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976; Criminal Law Act 1977; Protection of Children Act 1978; Magistrates' Courts Act 1980; Sexual Offences Act 1985; Criminal Justice Act 1988; Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992; Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999; Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000;
Repeals/revokes	Vagrancy Act 1898; Indecency with Children Act 1960; Sex Offenders Act 1997;
Amended by	Children Act 2004; Civil Partnership Act 2004; Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004; Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005; Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005; Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005; National Health Service (Consequential Provisions) Act 2006; Armed Forces Act 2006; Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006; Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006; Serious Crime Act 2007; Children and Young Persons Act 2008; Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008; Education and Skills Act 2008; Coroners and Justice Act 2009; Policing and Crime Act 2009; Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009; Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011; Crime and Courts Act 2013; Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010; Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011; Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012; Health and Social Care Act 2012; Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012; Protection of Freedoms Act 2012; Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2013; Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014; Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015; Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015; Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015; Modern Slavery Act 2015; Serious Crime Act 2015; Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016; Policing and Crime Act 2017; Data Protection Act 2018; Space Industry Act 2018; Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019; Sentencing Act 2020; Domestic Abuse Act 2021; Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021; Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022; Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022; Online Safety Act 2023;
Relates to	Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Text of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42) is an act of the Parliament (for England and Wales).

It partly replaced the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 69) with more specific and explicit wording. It also created several new offences such as non-consensual voyeurism, assault by penetration, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and penetration of any part of a corpse. It defines and sets legal guidelines for rape in English law. It is also the main legislation dealing with child sexual abuse.

The corresponding legislation in Scotland is the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 and in Northern Ireland the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008.