Sexual Offences History - When did it happen?

Henry Waldock
Last updated: 20120-09-12

Parliament redefined sexual offences several times within living memory.  When you investigate allegations of sexual abuse from many years ago, the offences and section numbers you name for the purposes of search warrants or charges may differ from the ones you find in today's Criminal Code.

Every so often, Parliament renumbers the Criminal Code sections.  When alleging an offence in a search warrant, you should allege the section number in force at the time of the offence, not as it now appears.

Current Sexual Offences

Offence

Section Number

In force
Anal Intercourse 147
155
159 		1955.04.05 - 1971.07.14
1971.07.15 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - 2019.06.21
Bestiality
147
155
160 (redefined) 		1955.04.05 - 1971.07.14
1971.07.15 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present
Incest 142
150
155 		1955.04.05 - 1971.07.14
1971.07.15 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present
Sexual Assault 246.1
271 		1983.01.04 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present
Sexual Assault with:
  • weapon
  • bodily harm
  • threat to third party
 		246.2
272 		1983.01.04 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present
Aggravated sexual assault 246.3
273 		1983.01.04 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present
Sexual Interference 151 1988.01.01 - present
Invitation to Sexual Touching 152 1988.01.01 - present
Sexual Exploitation
153
 1988.01.01 - present
Sexual Exploitation of disabled person 153.1 1998.06.30 - present
Transmit pornography to children
 171.1
 2012.08.08 -
Luring
 172.1
172.1 (redefined)
 2002.07.23 - 2012.08.08
2012.08.08 -
Telecommunication to abuse children
 172.2
 2012.08.08 -
Child pornography
 163.1
163.1 (redefined)
163.1 (redefined)
 1993.08.01 - 2002.07.23
2002.07.23 - 2005.10.31
2005.11.01 - present
Obscenity
 159
163
 1955.04.05 - 1971.07.14
1971.07.15 - present
Voyeurism
 162
 2005.11.01 - present
Indecent Act +
Expose genitals to child under 14
 169
173
 1955.04.05 - 1971.07.14
1971.07.15 - present
Parent/guardian procuring 166
170		 1971.07.15 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present
Procuring
Living off the avails of prostitution
 184
195
212
 1955.04.05 - 1971.07.14
1971.07.15 - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present
Soliciting
 195.1
213
 1972.??.?? - 1987.12.31
1988.01.01 - present

The age of consent rose from 14 to 16 on May 1, 2008.  s.150.1.

Historical Sexual Offences

Offence

Defined

Section Number

In force



From
 To
Rape
135/6
143/4 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1983.01.04
Attempt Rape
137
145 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1983.01.04
Sexual Intercourse with Female under 14
138(1)
146(1) 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1987.12.31
Sexual Intercourse with Female between 14-16
138(2)
146(2) 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1987.12.31
Sexual Intercourse with feeble-minded female
140
148 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1983.01.04
Indecent Assault on female
141
149(1) 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1983.01.04
Buggery
147
155 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1987.12.31
Indecent Assault on Male
148
156 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1983.01.03
Gross Indecency Sharpe para 39-
 149
157 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
 1971.07.14
1987.12.31
Anal Intercourse
147
155
159 		1955.04.05
1971.07.15
1988.01.01 		1971.07.14
1987.12.31
2019.06.21

Commencing June 21, 2019, no person could be convicted of any offence in force on January 4, 1983 unless "unless the conduct alleged would be an offence under this Act if it occurred on the day on which the charge was laid." s.156.

For a complete history of sexual offences, as they were defined in the Criminal Code see: A History of Canadian Sexual Assault Legislation

Indecency

The term "indecency" was removed from the legislation because of the subjectivity in the term.  For a review of the history of the term, see R. v. Labaye, 2005 SCC 80.  In a different context, the Supreme Court of Canada now restricts the term to mean:


"...a significant risk of harm to individuals or society in a way that undermines or threatens to undermine a value reflected in and thus formally endorsed through the Constitution or similar fundamental laws by
(a) confronting members of the public with conduct that significantly interferes with their autonomy and liberty,
(b) predisposing others to anti‑social behaviour, or
(c) physically or psychologically harming persons involved in the conduct."

Rape

Rape was:

  1. without her consent, or
  2. with her consent if the consent
  1. is extorted by threats or fear of bodily harm,
  2. is obtained by personating her husband, or
  3. is obtained by false and fraudulent representations as to the nature and quality of the act.

Sexual Intercourse

Sexual intercourse is defined in s.4(5) of the Criminal Code the same now as it was in 1956:


"...sexual intercourse is complete on penetration to even the slightest degree, notwithstanding that seed is not emitted."

Buggery

Buggery was anal copulation.

From 1969 on, consenting adults 21 and older, in private, could consent to buggery.

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