Sex Offences Flashcards
What was held in R v Harpur as it relates to an attempt?
“An attempt includes an act or omission constituting a substantial step towards a course of conduct planned”
What was held in R v Cox in relation to the possibility of consent with children under 12yrs old?
“They would be exceptional and rare circumstances where a child under 12yrs was able to give legal consent”
What was held in R v Cox in relation to reasonable belief in consent with children under 12yrs?
“In all but extremely rare circumstances it was not reasonable for an adult to believe that a child was consenting to sexual activity”
What must the relationship be between two parties for a charge of Incest S.130 CA1961 ?
Parent & Child
Siblings & Half-Siblings
Grandparents & Grandchildren
How old must an offender be to be charged with Incest?
Must be at least 16 years of age
What must the Crown prove in a charge of Incest S.130 CA 1961?
Must prove that each person charged knew of their relationship before or at the time of the sexual connection
Under S.131CA sexual conduct with dependant family member, can the dependent family member be charged as a party?
No, they cannot be charged as a party.
However consent on the behalf of the victim is not a defence to this charge
What acts are covered under a charge against S.131 CA?
Has Sexual Connection
Attempts to have Sexual Connection
Does an Indecent Act
How old can a victim be for a charge against S.131 CA?
Up to 18 years old
What does S.121 of the Evidence Act Discuss?
Why is it particularly relevant to sexual cases?
S.121 of the Evidence Act states that a victims evidence does not have to be corroborated. This is especially important in cases of a sexual nature because often there is no independent evidence to corroborate the victims account.
Define corroboration?
To strengthen or support with other evidence, to make more certain
Define Sexual Violation?
When a person rapes another person by penetrating the vagina with the penis without consent or without reasonable grounds to believe there was consent
OR
When a person has unlawful sexual connection with another person by introduction into the genitalia or anus of a person, other than for some genuine medical purpose, by a part of another persons body, or by an object held or manipulated by them or by the connection of the mouth or tongue with the genitals or anus of another person without consent and without reasonable grounds to believe there was consent
Discuss the difference between rape and unlawful sexual connection?
Define both
Difference being that rape is gender specific (penis must penetrate vagina) even if a surgical analogue, whereas unlawful sexual connection is gender neutral and the victim can be of either sex as it allows for penetration of and connection with both anus & genitalia
What must the Crown prove in all cases of sexual violation?
That there was an intentional act by the defendant involving sexual connection with the victim
That the victim was not consenting (and)
That the defendant did not believe the victim was consenting (or)
If the defendant did believe that the victim was consenting, the grounds for such a belief were not reasonable
Is there a defence to a charge of sexual violation for a spouse? If so what is it?
No there is no defence to S.128 CA for spouses
What is the maximum penalty for a charge of Sexual Violation S.128 CA?
20 years Imprisonment
Define Sexual Connection as stated in S.2 CA1961?
Connection effected by the introduction into the genitalia or anus of a person, other than for genuine medical purposes, by a part of another persons body, or by an object held or manipulated by them or by the connection of the mouth or tongue of a person with the anus or genitalia of another person, or any continuation of a connection described above
What can be used by the Crown to prove penetration?
The victims evidence
Medical examination, including injuries and DNA evidence
The defendants admissions
Define genitalia as per S.2 CA1961?
The genitalia includes the penis and testicles of a male and the vulva and vagina of a female, including any surgically constructed or reconstructed analogue.
What was held in R v Koroheke in relation to genitalia?
R v Koroheke held that:
“the genitalia comprises of the reproductive organs both interior and exterior…including the vulva and labia, both internal and external at the opening of the vagina”
What is continuation in reference too in matters of sexual connection?
Continuation is where where sexual activity is started consensually but consent is later withdrawn.
There is an obligation on a person to stop the sexual activity at the point that they realise that the other person is, or may be, no longer willing.
Failure to do so may render a previous consensual act unlawful
At what age is it presumed by law to be incapable of consenting to sexual connection? And what is its relevance to a defence against a charge of unlawful sexual connection?
There is no age in law where it is presumed that someone is incapable of consenting to sexual connection.
This would mean that it is not a defence to say that either party was too young or old to have sexual connection.
What must the Crown prove in relation to consent in matters of unlawful sexual connection?
Crown must prove:
The victim was not consenting (and) (subjective)
The defendant did not believe that the victim was consenting (or) (subjective)
That if the defendant did believe that the victim was consenting that there were not reasonable grounds to hold this belief (objective)
Define consent?
Consent is a conscious and voluntary agreement to something desired or proposed by another
What was held in R v Cox in relation to consent?
“Consent must be full, free, voluntary an informed, given by someone able to form a rational judgement”
Whether or not a victim is consenting or not is what sort of test?
How is this proved?
Whether or not a victim is consenting is a subjective test.
This is proved by what the victim was thinking at the time in question.
What are the three test when establishing consent
Subjective: What was the victim thinking?
Subjective: What did the defendant believe at the time?
Objective: What would a reasonable person have believed in the defendants position?
What was held in R v Gutuama?
Under the objective test the Crown must prove that “no reasonable person in the defendants shoes could have thought that the victim was consenting”
List four matters not constituting Consent other than fear, force & threats?
Lack of physical resistance or protest
Asleep or unconscious
Affected by drugs or alcohol to the point they cannot refuse or consent
Impaired by some mental or intellectual condition to such a point they cannot refuse or consent
Mistaken as to the nature and quality of the act
Mistaken as to the identity of the person involved in the act
Allowing sexual activity does not amount to consent in what circumstances?
There has been force applied to them or some other person
There has been threats (express or implied) of the application of force to them or some other person
They fear the application of force to him or her or some other person
What was held in R v Koroheke in relation to the difference between consent & submisson?
It is important to distinguish between consent that is freely given and submission by a women to something that is unwanted but unavoidable.
For example, submission by a women because she is frightened of what might happen if she does not give in or co-operate, is not true consent.
What section of the Crimes Act covers matters that do not constitute consent?
Section 128A (1-9) covers matters that do not constitute consent
In matters of mistaken identity S.128A (6) not constituting consent, who is the mistake made by?
The mistake is made by the person submitting to the sexual activity, not the defendant.
That being said, this does not mean it is a defence on the part of the defendant.
What are the two offences covered by S.129 CA1961?
S. 129 (1) Attempted Sexual Violation
S.129 (2) Assault With Intent to commit Sexual Violation