Sex Crimes

Under Soviet law, sex crimes are included in the group of crimes against life, health, freedom, and dignity of the person. They include encroachments on the sexual inviolability of adult citizens (rape, compulsion of a woman to enter into sexual intercourse, and forcible pederasty), encroachments on the normal development of minors (sexual intercourse with a person who has not reached puberty and depraved actions with minors), and perversions of normal sexual relations (pederasty).

The greatest danger is posed by sex crimes committed with the use of physical or mental force: rape and forcible pederasty. Some other types of sex crimes also pose considerable social danger. Therefore the compulsion of a woman to enter into sexual intercourse or to satisfy sexual passion in another form by a person on whom this woman is dependent materially or occupationally is punishable under criminal law by deprivation of freedom for up to three years. Punishment for sexual intercourse with a person who has not reached puberty, for example, the conclusion of a marital agreement between an adult and a minor, has been established in the form of deprivation of freedom for up to three years.

Also punishable under criminal law is the performance of depraved actions with minors (Criminal Code of the RSFSR, art. 120), where depraved actions are defined not only as physical sexual acts but also immoral discussions, advice, and so forth.