No one wants to live with the stigma and restrictions that come with being a registered sex offender, and yet every day there are new registrants. Some of them clearly deserve to be there, while others landed on the registry for seemingly innocent things. As laws and mandates evolve, many offenders are a lot younger than you may think.
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1. Urinating in Public
When the urge hits, it can be difficult to put it off. But urinating in public can get you labelled a sex offender. Without local sex crimes attorneys, you may find yourself in much more trouble than it would have been to find a restroom. Public urination is considered a lewd act in 13 states.
2. Teenage Sex
It’s a fact, teens engage in consensual sexual acts. But this can lead to legal trouble. In 2003, a 17-year-old Genarlow Wilson was sentenced to 10 years behind bars for consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old classmate. His crime? Child molestation. Although the classmate maintained that it was consensual, Georgia law states the age of consent is 16.
3. Paying for a Stripper
There’s nothing legally wrong with getting a stripper, but if you use a stolen credit card to do so in the state of New York. It’s possible to be charged with a sexually motivated felony if you burglarize a home, take a credit card, and use it for sexual gratification. This can be applied to any age.
4. The Birds and the Bees Talk
Be careful how in-depth you go when giving youngsters the birds and the bees talk. Being too explicit or showing pictures can bring trouble. Youngsters undoubtedly need guidance as they navigate the space between biological maturity and immaturity, but the way you address it can mean the difference between legal trouble and a quiet dinner at home.
5. Childhood Photos
You’ve got to be careful when taking snapshots of your children or other people’s children. Even the iconic picture of a baby in the bathtub is up for scrutiny. Naked or partially nude photos of minors can be categorized as child pornography. This is not something that you want to follow you around for the rest of your life.
6. Sending Nudes
There’s no problem with taking nude pictures of yourself, it’s what you do with those pictures that can get you in trouble. Sending nude or sexually explicit photos to a minor is a sex offence that can label you as a sex offender. Even if you’re minor sending pictures of a minor.
The truth is that many things even remotely related to sex and body parts can come with some pretty steep penalties. There are a lot of normal things that can be misconstrued as sexual depending on who’s watching and judging, but whether you’re young or old, it’s important to be aware of your actions and other people’s bodies. Even an elementary-aged child can face hardship from a hug, a kiss on the cheek, or a butt slap.
