Legislation
Sexual Offences Bill Receives Royal Assent
The Sexual Offences Bill - the most radical overhaul of sex offences legislation for 50 years - recieved Royal Assent on 20th November 2003. The Sexual Offences Act focuses upon the protection of children and the most vulnerable, providing clear, coherent and an effective set of laws that will increase protection.
The Act enabled the appropriate punishment of abusers and ensure the law is fair and non-discriminatory. The Act also contained new measures to strengthen the monitoring of offenders on the sex offenders' register and a range of new offences and harsher sentences for sexual offences against children and vulnerable people.
The laws on sex offences were in need of modernisation. They did not reflect today's society and attitudes or provide effective protection against today's crimes. For the past 50 years people have been reluctant to engage in these difficult issues.
The introduction of the Act tackles this reluctance in society to confront a variety of problems.
The Act contains:
stronger protection for children
stronger protection for vulnerable people
stronger protection for the public
stronger offences for sexual violence
stronger offences to deal with sexual exploitation
equality in the law for men and women
clarification on the position of those advising children on sexual matters.
Further information on The Sexual Offences Act can be found on the Stationery Office website.
Last update: Tuesday, September 02, 2008