Sex Crime

The term ‘sex crime’, like ‘crime’ more generally, is neither fixed nor immutable, but constantly changing and highly contested. It refers to an enormous diversity of behaviours, from unsolicited sexual comments in the workplace to serial rape and sex murder. What is defined and labelled sex crime may vary considerably across time and place. For example, many homosexual activities were legalized in the 1960s as a reflection of changing social attitudes, and it was not until 1992 in the UK that a man could be convicted of raping his wife. Meanwhile, a serious sexual offence in one country (e.g. consensual sex between an adult and a 13 year old in the UK), may be legal in another (in Spain the age of consent is 13).