sexual crime
Umbrella term for punishable sexual acts regulated in chapter 24 of the Danish Penal Code
A sexual crime is a legal designation for punishable acts of a sexual nature that violate a person's right to sexual self-determination. Under Danish law, the term does not correspond to a single statutory provision, but functions as an umbrella term for the offences regulated in chapter 24 of the Danish Penal Code (straffeloven) on sexual offences. The most significant types of sexual crime include rape and sexual relations other than intercourse (where consent is absent or where the victim is unable to resist the act), sexual relations with children under the age of 15, sexual relations with persons other than children where a relationship of dependency is exploited, incest, and various forms of indecent exposure and violation of decency. In 2021, the rape provision was amended to be based on a consent rule, so that any sexual relation without consent may now be punishable as rape.
What the sexual offences have in common is that they protect the individual's right to sexual self-determination and integrity. The legislation recognises that this right can be violated in different ways — through violence or threats, through exploitation of a person's condition or vulnerability, or through sexual acts with children who, because of their age, cannot give valid consent.
Penalties for sexual crimes vary considerably depending on the severity. Rape can be punished with imprisonment for up to 8 years, while particularly serious cases can carry up to 12 years' imprisonment. Sexual abuse of children is also punished severely, and repeated or particularly degrading conduct will aggravate the sentence. The prosecution service treats cases concerning sexual crimes as a high priority.
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