{"id":373135,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:11","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/illinois-law\/illinois-prohibited-consensual-sexual-activity-laws.html"},"modified":"2025-02-28T14:43:10","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T19:43:10","slug":"illinois-prohibited-consensual-sexual-activity-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/illinois-law\/illinois-prohibited-consensual-sexual-activity-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Illinois Prohibited Consensual Sexual Activity Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Illinois Prohibited Consensual Sexual Activity Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

In general, non-consensual sexual contact is a criminal act. Old laws criminalized \u201csodomy<\/a>\u201d as a \u201ccrime against nature,\u201d but today it is another form of sexual activity. If both parties consent, it is legal. If one party does not consent, the lack of consent makes it a criminal offense.<\/p>\r\n

Any sexual act involving children, ranging from child pornography<\/a> to sexual assault, can never be \u201cconsensual\u201d because minors can’t consent.<\/p>\r\n

It may not matter if the parties commit consensual sexual activity. Some kinds of sexual contact are unlawful if committed in public even if both parties agree. In some cases, like statutory rape<\/a>, one party can’t consent because of their age or mental status. Legislators simply haven’t removed some laws yet.<\/p>\r\n

Antiquated Laws Still on the Books<\/b><\/h2>\r\n