A person generally commits the criminal offense of sexual assault of a child—regardless of whether the person knows the age of the child at the time of the offense—if the person (1) causes the penetration of the anus or sexual organ of a child by any means; (2) causes the penetration of the mouth of a child by the sexual organ of the person; (3) causes the sexual organ of the child to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of the person or another person; (4) causes the anus of a child to contact the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of the person or another person; or (5) causes the mouth of a child to contact the anus or sexual organ of the person or another person.
The naming and definition of the criminal offense of sexual assault of a child varies from state to state. These criminal offenses are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.
In Ohio, the criminal offense of sexual assault of a child is referred to as 'Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor' under Ohio Revised Code Section 2907.04. This statute criminalizes sexual conduct with a minor who is not the spouse of the offender when the offender is 18 years of age or older and the minor is between 13 and 16 years of age, regardless of whether the offender knows the age of the minor. The law also covers situations where the offender is less than four years older than the minor if the minor is less than 13 years old. The offenses described in the provided topic, involving various forms of sexual penetration or contact with a child, would fall under the broader category of sexual offenses in Ohio, which includes rape (ORC 2907.02), sexual battery (ORC 2907.03), and gross sexual imposition (ORC 2907.05), depending on the specific circumstances and ages of the individuals involved. These offenses are serious felonies, and the penalties can be severe, including lengthy prison sentences and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
