Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Britain's Sexual Offenses Act Now Outlaws Child Sexual Abuse By Religious Instructors

Britain's Sexual Offenses Act 2003 (Secs. 16-19) criminalizes abuse of a position of trust by engaging in sexual activity with a child or causing a child to witness sexual activity.  As reported by Law & Religion UK, amendments to the Act which expand the definition of "position of trust" came into effect on June 28. The Act now defines "position of trust" to include any person who knowingly coaches, teaches, trains, supervises or instructs on a regular basis in a sport or a religion. Religion is defined to include

(a) a religion which involves belief in more than one god, and (b) a religion which does not involve belief in a god.