Sexual Assault According to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 Law Essay (Essay Sample)

Sexual Assault According to the Sexual Offences Act 2003
No. of words-3,345
Cases of sexual assault in the United Kingdom have been on the rise. According to the British Transport Police, there has been a recorded increase in sexual harassment cases happening inside public transport service providers such as trains. Research done by Hollaback and Cornell University goes on to explain that 84% of the female population encounter harassment before they turn 17.
The United Kingdom constitutes Scotland, Wales and England and North Ireland. Even though they are under one rule, these three parts of the United Kingdom have different laws when it comes to sexual harassment. England and Wales use the Sexual Offences Act of 2003. Scotland, on the other hand, relies on the Sexual Offences Act of 2009. Northern Ireland follows the Sexual Offences Order 2008.
According to these Acts, rape can be defined as:
* The intentional penetration of a penis into a vagina, mouth or anus by person A without person B’s consent.
* If A does not fully believe that B was an interested party. In other words, A does not believe that B had been a willing participant1.
If any of these happens, then A can be accused before a court of law of rape. However, when it comes to section (b), a belief does not hold much ground in ascertaining whether A consented. The law also considers it rape if a male adult has sexual relations with a girl under the age of 16 in England and Wales. The children rights are better explained in the Sexual Offences Act under ‘child sex offenses.’ This act seeks to protect children under the age of 12. Any individual caught engaging in a sexual act with a minor is liable to life imprisonment.[Richard Card and others, sexual offences (Jordans 2008) 112] [2 Samantha Pegg and Anne Davis, Sexual Offences: Law and context (Routledge 2016)503 ibid]
A woman can also face legal repercussions if she plays a part in helping a man in raping a third party. In this case, the woman would face similar jail term as the man who committed the act.
Sexual Offences Act of 2003