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Oregon prohibits performing sex and also exposing one's genitals in public. Sometimes, exposing one's genitals in private can also be criminal. Such laws fall under the umbrella of indecent exposure and can result in jail time and fines. This article covers the Beaver State's indecent exposure laws, including the types of prohibited activities and potential penalties for a violation. Read on to learn more.
The following table outlines Oregon's public and private indecent exposure laws.
| Code Sections | OR. REV. STAT §§ 163.465, 163.467 |
| What’s Prohibited? | Performing any of the following acts while in, or in view of, a public place constitutes public indecency: sex, deviate sex, and exposing one's genitals with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of oneself or another person. Private indecency includes the following: exposing one's genitals with the intent to arouse oneself or another person without the other person's consent, in the other person's view, in a place where the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, and with the reasonable expectation that the other person may become alarmed or annoyed. There is a reasonable expectation of privacy in places such as residences, yards, working areas, and offices. It is not private indencency if the person who commits the act cohabits and is in a sexually intimate relationship with the other person. |
| Penalties | Public and private indecency are Class A misdemeanors punishable by up to 1 year in prison and $6,250 in fines. It is a Class C felony if the person has a prior conviction for public indecency or conviction for a crime in another jurisdiction which if committed in Oregon would constitute public indecency. |
If you are unclear about what constitutes public or private indecency and need help, you may contact a knowledgeable Oregon sex crimes attorney.
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