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Sexual activity in a public lavatory |
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Sex Laws Info
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A person commits an offence if he is in a lavatory to which the public or a section of the public has or is permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise, and he intentionally engages in an activity, and, the activity is sexual (Sexual Offences Act 2003).
Although originally introduced to put an end to gay activities in public lavatories ( cottaging ) it is in fact non-gender specific. There are some concerns about the terms ‘sexual activity in a public lavatory’. Gay men in particular are concerned that although the offence is phrased in a neutral way, in reality it will be used by police primarily against gay men. The Home Office has provided assurances that this is not the case and that the law will be enforced in a balanced way. The term ‘public lavatory’ is defined quite broadly and includes a public lavatory to which the public, or a section of the public, has access to, whether for payment or otherwise. Accordingly, having sex in a locked cubicle in a night club, for example, would be an unlawful act.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 15 February 2009 22:07 |
Sex Laws Info 