The "protecting the public" sex offence reform proposals in brief.

Stronger protection for children

• Children under 13 will not be capable in law of giving consent to any form of sexual activity. Any sexual intercourse with a child under 13 will be charged as rape

• A new offence of adult sexual activity with a child - which will capture behaviour such as inappropriately persuading children to undress

• A new grooming offence, based on meeting a child with the intention of committing a sex offence, and civil order to apply both to the Internet and off-line

• New offences with severe penalties against those who sexually exploit children for their own gain. The new offence of sexual exploitation of a child will protect children up to the age of 18. It will cover a range of activity including: buying the sexual services of a child, causing or encouraging children into sexual exploitation, facilitating the commercial sexual exploitation of a child and controlling the activities of a child involved in prostitution or pornography

Stronger offences for sexual violence

• Clarifying the law on consent in regard to rape

• A new offence of sexual assault by penetration

• A new offence of compelling sexual acts

• Strengthening drug rape offences

• Rape extended to include oral penetration

Stronger protection for vulnerable people

• Three new offences to give extra protection to those with a learning disability or mental disorder from sexual abuse

Stronger offences to deal with sexual exploitation

• In addition to the new offence of commercial sexual exploitation of a child, there will be a new offence of commercial sexual exploitation of adults

• A new offence of trafficking people for commercial sexual exploitation

Stronger protection for the public

• A new order to make those known to have been convicted of sex offences overseas register as sex offenders when they come to the UK, whether or not they have committed a crime here

• All those on the sex offenders' register to confirm their details in person annually

• Offenders on the register to provide National Insurance details as a further safeguard against evasion

• The period within which a sex offender must notify the police of a change of name or address to be reduced from 14 days to three

• Sex Offender Orders and Sex Offender Restraining Orders to be available for anyone convicted of a violent offence where there is evidence they present a risk of causing serious sexual harm

• A new offence to protect the public from unacceptable sexual behaviour in public, complementing existing public order offences

• A new offence to strengthen the law on indecent exposure

• A new offence of voyeurism capturing those who observe others without their knowledge for sexual gratification

Greater fairness and clarity

• Aim of the proposals is that offences should be gender-neutral and non-discriminatory and apply to men and women as victims and/or perpetrators