Sexual Flashcards
In all cases of Sexual violation what must the crown prove beyond reasonable doubt?
That there was an intentional act by the offender involving sexual connection with the complainant AND
The complainant did not consent to the act AND
The offender did not believe that the complainant was consenting to the act or If the offender did believe the complainant was consenting the grounds for that belief were not reasonable.
Any investigation must prove either that the offender did not believe the victim was consenting and acted anyway or that he did believe the victim was consenting but the grounds for such beleif were not reasonable
Explain section 128(4) CA61 in respect of spouses and liability
s.128(4) It shall be no defence to a charge under s.128 that the offender and victim were spouses at the time of the act.
Define sexual violation
s.128 1) SV is the act of a person who: a) rapes another person b) has unlawful sexual connection with another person 2) Person A rapes Person B if PA has sexual connection with PB effected by the introduction of PA’s penis into the genitalia of PB a) without PB’s consent AND b) without believing on reasonable grounds that PB consented to the connection. 3) PA has unlawful sexual connection with PB if PA has sexual connection with PB a) without PB’s consent AND b) without believing on reasonable grounds that PB consents.
Discuss sentencing requirements of Sexual Violation
everyone who commits sexual violation is liable for a sentence of imprisonment not exceeding 20 years. A person convicted of sexual violation must be sentenced to imprisonment unless having regard to the matters in sub section 3 the court thinks that the person should not be sentenced to imprisonment: s.128(3) matters are: a) the particular circumstances of the person convicted AND b) the particular circumstances of the offence; the nature of the conduct constituting it.
define sexual connection
Sexual connection s.2 CA61 Sexual connection means: a) connection effected by the introduction into the genitalia or anus of a person other than for genuine medical purposes of: i) a part of the body of another person OR ii) an object held or manipulated by another person OR b) connection between the mouth and tongue of a person and the genitalia or anus of another person OR c) Any continuation of a connection of a kind described in subsection a or b.
Discuss Introduction and penetration
In practise there is no real difference and it is not necessary to differentiate between the terms. s.2 For the purposes of paragraph a) in subsection 1) of ‘sexual connection’ introduction to the slightest degree is enough to effect connection. Penetration of the genitalia or anus must be proved although the extent of the penetration is not relevant, any degree of penetration no matter how slight or fleeting is sufficient.
How can you establish penetration
Complainants evidence Medical examination including DNA and physical injuries Defendants admisions
Define Genitalia
Genitalia s.2 CA61 genitalia includes the surgically constructed and reconstructed organs analogous to any naturally occurring male of female genitalia whether male, female or indeterminate sex.
Define r v KOROHEKE (genitalia)
the genitalia comprise the reproductive organs interior and exterior, they include the vulva the labia interior and exterior at the opening to the vagina.
Define Penis
s.2 CA61 Penis includes any surgically constructed or reconstructed organ analogous to any natural occurring penis whether male, female or indeterminate sex.
Discuss ‘continuation’ R v KAITAMAKI and the obligation on a person to stop sexual activity
R v KAITAMAKI a man broke into a house a raped a woman twice he argued that it was only in the second act of intercourse did he realise she was not consenting and he continued regardless. The court held that once he penetrated the woman and realised she was not consenting but continues the act becomes rape. There is an obligation on a person to stop sexual activity at the point they realise the other person is or may be unwilling failure to do so may render a previously considered consensual activity unlawful.
What must the crown prove in relation to consent? (tests)
Subjective test: victim did not consent to the sexual act AND the offender did not believe the victim was consenting AND Objective test: if he did believe the victim was consenting the grounds for such a belief were unreasonable.
Define R v Cox re consent
R v Cox Consent must be full, voluntary, free and informed,freely and voluntarily given by a person in a position to form a rational judgement.
Deine consent
Consent is a persons conscious and voluntary agreement to something desired or proposed by another.
Define R v GUTUAMA
Under the objective test the crown must rove that no reasonable person in the accused’s shoes could have thought that the complainant was consenting.
Outline the matters that don’t constitute consent:
A person does not consent to sexual activity:
- because they dont protest or offer physical resistance to the activity.
- they allow the activity because of force applied to him/her or another person, threat (expressed or implied) of the application of force to him/her or another person or fear of the application of force to him/her or another person.
- if they are asleep when the activity occurs.
- If they are so affected by alcohol or some other drugs that they cannot consent to the activity.
- if they are so affected by intelectual, physical or mental condition or impairment of such a nature and degree that they cannot consent or refuse to consent.
- If they allow the activity because they are mistaken as to the other persons identity.
- If they allow the activity because they are mistake as to its nature or quality.
- This section does not limit the circumstances in which a person does not consent to sexual activity.
define r v Koroheke (true consent)
It is important to distinguish between consent that is freely given and submission by a woman to what she may regard as unwanted but unavoidable. For example submission by a woman becuase she is frightened of what might happen if she does not give in or co-operate is not true consent.
Define Rape
s.128 (2) PA rapes PB if PA has sexual connection effected by the penetration of PB’s genitalia by PA’s penis a) without PB’s consent AND b) without believing on reasonable ground that PB consents.
What distinguishes Attempted Sexual violation and assault with intent to commit sexual violation
There may be some overlap between the two offences but they are distinguished on the basis that; an attempt does not necessarily involve an assault AND An assault may not be sufficiently proximate to the full offence to constitute and attempt.
What is the definition of ‘Intent’ and how can it be proved?
In a criminal law context there are two specific types of intent to commit an offence, firstly an intent to commit an act and secondly an intent to get a specific result. Proved by: The defendants actions and words before, during and after the event The surrounding circumstances The nature of the act itself.
What must the crown prove for the offence of attempted sexual violation?
At the time of the defendants actions they: intended to have sexual connection with the victim. AND The victim did not consent to the intended sexual connection. AND the defendant did not believe on reasonable grounds that the victim consented to the sexual connection intended. Establishing the defendant was reckless as to whether or not the victim was consenting satisfies the requirement that the belief was not reasonable.
Define R v HARPUR in relation to attempts
An attempt includes an act or omission constituting a substantial step in the course of conduct planned to culminate in the commission of the crime. Th court may have regard to the actions of the defendant viewed cumulatively up to the point in which the conduct in questions stops. The defendants conduct may be viewed in its entirety, considering how much remains to be done is always relevant although not determinative.
What are the ingredients of Assault with intent to Commit Sexual Violation?
S.192 CA61 10 years A person Assaults another person With intent to have sexual violation with that person. If the offender is only trying to change the victims mind to consent to having sexual connection that this charge applies.. If the offender is determined to have sexual connection and the assault is only a step in the process to that end then the appropriate charge is Attempted Sexual violation.
When might you charge someone with Assault with intent to commit sexual violation s.192 CA61
when the offender is intent on having sexual connection with the victim and assaults the victim in order to obtain consent to do that. As an alternative to Attempted sexual violation particularly when the proximity between the assault and completion of the offence may be at issue.
In negating consent what three things must the crown prove?
that the victim did not consent. that the defendant did not believe the victim was consenting that if the defendant did believe the victim was consenting that the belief in such was not reasonable.
What is specified in s.132(6)(b) as NOT being defences to sexual conduct with a child under 12
The the defendant believed the child was 12 or over and that the child consented.
Define Indecent assault and penalty under s.132(6)
s.132(6) Everyone who commits an indecent assault on a child under 12 is liable to a term not exceeding 10 years. Doing an indecent act on a child under 12years includes indecently assaulting child under 12 years.
Define R v Cox in relation to a child providing consent
R v Cox Although we do not exclude the possibility of a child of 11 or 10 years old being able to provide full, voluntary, informed and free consent to sexual intercourse, the circumstances that would justify that conclusions would be exceptional if not rare.
In all but extremely rare cases it is not reasonable for an adult to believe a child was consenting to sexual activity
R v Cox Save in exceptional and rare circumstances even where she indicates an agreement to the act occurring no reasonable adult would have grounds for believing that a 10 or 11 year old girl has the experience or maturity to understand the nature and significance of the act
Define R v Cox in relation to a child and reasonable belief in consent.
In all but extremely rare cases it is not reasonable for an adult to believe a child was consenting to sexual activity
R v Cox Save in exceptional and rare circumstances even where she indicates an agreement to the act occurring no reasonable adult would have grounds for believing that a 10 or 11 year old girl has the experience or maturity to understand the nature and significance of the act.
Discuss proof of age
R v Forrest and Forrest the best possible evidence available int he circumstances should be adduced by the prosecution in proving the victims age. In practise this generally involves producing the victims birth certificate in conjunction with independent evidence identifying the victim as the person named.
Discuss ‘consent’ in relation to the offence of indecent act on a child (under 120 s.132(3)
If the act is done with the consent on the child it is immaterial whether; the child does the act on the offender the offender does the act on the child the acts are mutual.
Where the act is non consensual or consent is invalid the correct charge is indecent assault. s.132(6)(b)
Define indecency
An act that is indecent involves sexual connotations and involves conduct directed at a person that is offensive to public moral values
R v COURT indecency means conduct a right thinking person would consider an affront to the sexual modesty of the complainant.
Outline s.134 and penalties
s.134 Sexual conduct with a young person under 16 1) sexual connection with a young person (10 Years) 2) attempts to have sexual connection with a young person (10 years)_ 3) does an indecent act on a young person (7 years) 4) No person may be convict if they were married to the young person at the time the act occurred. 5) the Young person cannot be charged as a party to of the offender was over 16 at the time of the act. 6)b) doing an indecent act on a young person includes indecently assaulting a young person
Outline s.132 and penalties
s.132 Sexual conduct with a child. 1) sexual connection with a child (14 years) 2) attempts sexual connection with a child (10 years) 3) does an indecent act on a child (10 Years) 4) it is not a defence that they believed the child was 12 or over. 5) It is not a defence that the child consented. 6)b) Doing an indecent act on a child includes indecently assaulting a child.
Outline a defence to s.134 CA61
It shall be a defence to s.134 sexual conduct with a young person under 16 if the defendant proves they: took reasonable steps to ascertain the young person was of or over 16 AND at the time of the offence believed on reasonable grounds the young person was of or over 16 AND the young person consented.
Ingredients; indecent Assault
s.135 Indecent Assault 7 years A person Indecently Assaults Another persoon
Define r v Leeson
R v Leeson the definition of indecent assault is an assault accompanied by circumstances of indecency.’
What must the prosecution prove for a charge under s.135
The defendant intentionally assault the victim AND the circumstances accompanying the assault were indecent. AND the defendant INTENDED the the conduct that reasonable people would find indecent.
If consent is raised as a defence to s.135 what must the prosecution prove:
That the victim did not consent That the defendant did not honestly believe the victim was consenting.
Discuss consent in relation to 135, 132(3) or 134(3) CA61
Consent is a defence to s.135 but not s.132(3) or 134(3)
Discuss the different standards of consent in 128 and 135
S.128 the belief in consent must be held and reasonable int he circumstances. s.135 the belief in consent must purely be HONESTLY held.
R v NORRIS if the defendant can prove that they honestly believed the victim was consenting they should be acquitted even though the ground for such a belief were unreasonable.
What is the nature of threat required for an offence against s.129A Sexual connection with consent induced by threat
An expressed or implied threat not involving force.
(5) The kinds of threat referred to in subsections (3) and (4)(a) are— (a) A threat that the person making the threat or some other person will commit an offence that— (i) Is punishable by imprisonment; but (ii) Does not involve the actual or threatened application of force to any person; and (b) A threat that the person making the threat or some other person will make an accusation or disclosure (whether true or false) about misconduct by any person (whether living or dead) that is likely to damage seriously the reputation of the person against or about whom the accusation or disclosure is made; and (c) a threat that the person making the threat will make improper use, to the detriment of the person consenting, of a power or authority arising out of— (i) An occupational or vocational position held by the person making the threat; or (ii) A commercial relationship existing between the person making the threat and the person consenting.
Define incest s.130
Incest s.130 1) sexual connection is incest if: a) it is between people whose relationship is that of parent and child, siblings, half-siblings or grandparent and grandchild. b) the person charged knows of the relationship. 2) everyone over the age of 16 who commits incest is liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years. gender neutral consent is no defence (if no consent = rape) each party over 16 is liable as a principal offender.
Explain adoption in relation to liability to incest
If a person is adopted then their adoptive parents and natural parents are both parents as in s.130(1). If only one person is the adoptive parent and the spouse is not they are not liable as a parent but may liable to the offence of sexual conduct with a dependant family member. Similarly step-parents and step-children are not ‘parents’
What is required to be proved for the charge of incest?
Sexual connection Relationship Knowledge of the relationship at the time of the connection and onus is on the prosecution to prove that
Define sexual conduct with a dependant family member
s.131 CA61 1) everyone is liable for a term of imprisonment not exceeding 7 years who has sexual connection with a dependant family member under 18. 2) Attempts - 7 years 3) Indecent act - 3 years 4) the dependant family member under 18 cannot be charged as a party 5) consent is not a defence