A person commits the crime of indecent exposure by exposing the person’s body or private parts (usually genitals, anus, buttocks, or female breasts) in a public place and in the presence of another person who might be offended, alarmed, or annoyed. Laws vary from state to state—including definitions of exposed body parts—and some states require the exposure to have been made with the intent to attract attention or to sexually gratify the person making the indecent exposure, or to sexually gratify another person, or to offend another person.

Indecent exposure laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Pennsylvania, indecent exposure is defined under Title 18, Section 3127 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. A person commits the offense of indecent exposure when they expose their genitals or buttocks, or a female exposes her breasts, in a public place or in any place where there are other people present who might be offended or alarmed. Pennsylvania law requires that the exposure be done intentionally or knowingly, and not accidentally. The intent to cause alarm or offense, or to gratify oneself or another sexually, is typically an element of the crime. Indecent exposure is considered a misdemeanor in Pennsylvania, but it can be graded as a felony if the individual exposes themselves to someone under the age of 16. The specific penalties and charges can vary based on the circumstances of the offense and the presence of prior convictions.