Search Legislation

Sexual Offences Act 1956

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally enacted).

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I Offences, and the Prosecution and Punishment of Offences

    1. Intercourse by force, intimidation, etc.

      1. 1.Rape

      2. 2.Procurement of woman by threats

      3. 3.Procurement of woman by false pretences

      4. 4.Administering drugs to obtain or facilitate intercourse

    2. Intercourse with girls under sixteen

      1. 5.Intercourse with girl under thirteen

      2. 6.Intercourse with girl between thirteen and sixteen

    3. Intercourse with defectives

      1. 7.Intercourse with an idiot or imbecile

      2. 8.Intercourse with defective

      3. 9.Procurement of defective

    4. Incest

      1. 10.Incest by a man

      2. 11.Incest by a woman

    5. Unnatural offences

      1. 12.Buggery

      2. 13.Indecency between men

    6. Assaults

      1. 14.Indecent assault on a woman

      2. 15.Indecent assault on a man

      3. 16.Assault with intent to commit buggery

    7. Abduction

      1. 17.Abduction of woman by force or for the sake of her property

      2. 18.Fraudulent abduction of heiress from parent or guardian

      3. 19.Abduction of unmarried girl under eighteen from parent or guardian

      4. 20.Abduction of unmarried girl under sixteen from parent or guardian

      5. 21.Abduction of defective from parent or guardian

    8. Prostitution, procuration etc.

      1. 22.Causing prostitution of women

      2. 23.Procuration of girl under twenty-one

      3. 24.Detention of woman in brothel or other premises

      4. 25.Permitting girl under thirteen to use premises for intercourse

      5. 26.Permitting girl between thirteen and sixteen to use premises for intercourse

      6. 27.Permitting defective to use premises for intercourse

      7. 28.Causing or encouraging prostitution of, intercourse with, or indecent assault on, girl under sixteen

      8. 29.Causing or encouraging prostitution of defective

      9. 30.Man living on earnings of prostitution

      10. 31.Woman exercising control over prostitute

    9. Solicitation

      1. 32.Solicitation by men

    10. Suppression of brothels

      1. 33.Keeping a brothel

      2. 34.Landlord letting premises for use as brothel

      3. 35.Tenant permitting premises to be used as brothel

      4. 36.Tenant permitting premises to be used for prostitution

    11. Powers and procedure for dealing with offenders

      1. 37.Prosecution and punishment of offences

      2. 38.Powers of court in case of incest with girl under twenty-one

      3. 39.Evidence of wife or husband of accused

    12. Powers of arrest and search

      1. 40.Power of arrest in case of procuration or prostitution of women

      2. 41.Power of arrest in cases of trading in prostitution, or of soliciting by men

      3. 42.Power of search in case of man living on earnings of prostitution

      4. 43.Power to search for and remove woman detained for immoral purposes

    13. Interpretation

      1. 44.Meaning of "sexual intercourse"

      2. 45.Meaning of "defective"

      3. 46.Use of words "man", "boy", "woman" and "girl"

      4. 47.Proof of exceptions

  3. PART II Supplementary

    1. Consequential amendments

      1. 48.Amendments of Acts not consolidated

      2. 49.Adaptation of enactments applying to Scotland

      3. 50.Adaptation of enactments applying to Northern Ireland

      4. 51.Repeal

      5. 52.Savings, etc.

      6. 53.Construction of references to enactments

      7. 54.Extent

      8. 55.Short title

      9. 56.Commencement

  4. SCHEDULES

    1. FIRST SCHEDULE

      Rights of Landlord where Tenant convicted of permitting use of premises as Brothel

      1. 1.Upon the conviction of the tenant or occupier (in this...

      2. 2.If the tenant fails to do so within three months,...

      3. 3.Where the lease or contract is determined under this Schedule,...

      4. 4.The approval of the lessor or landlord for the purposes...

      5. 5.This Schedule shall have effect subject to the Rent and...

    2. SECOND SCHEDULE

      Table of offences, with mode of prosecution, punishments, etc.

      1. PART I

        1. Felonies and attempts at felonies

      2. PART II

        1. Offences other than felonies and attempts at felonies

    3. THIRD SCHEDULE

      Consequential Amendments of Enactments not Consolidated

    4. FOURTH SCHEDULE

      Repeals

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources