FLORIDA

Title XLVI
Crimes Chapter 800
Lewdness; Indecent Exposure
 
800.02 Unnatural and lascivious act.

A person who commits any unnatural and lascivious act with another person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A mother's breastfeeding of her baby does not under any circumstance violate this section.

History.--s. 1, ch. 7361, 1917; RGS 5425; CGL 7568; s. 778, ch. 71-136; s. 2, ch. 93-4.
__________________________________

800.03 Exposure of sexual organs.

It is unlawful to expose or exhibit one's sexual organs in public or on the private premises of another, or so near thereto as to be seen from such private premises, in a vulgar or indecent manner, or to be naked in public except in any place provided or set apart for that purpose. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A mother's breastfeeding of her baby does not under any circumstance violate this section.

History.--s. 1, ch. 7360, 1917; RGS 5445; CGL 7588; s. 1, ch. 61-51; s. 779, ch. 71-136; s. 3, ch. 93-4.
__________________________________

[NAC NOTE 1: Courts have held that simple non-lewd nudity does not constitute the "vulgar or indecent manner" required for conviction under Florida Statute 800.03. Some challenged convictions under 800.03 have been thrown out. Authorities have increasingly turned to the use of Florida's disorderly conduct statute (877.03) as a means of restricting simple nudity. SEE NAC NOTE 2.]

800.04 Lewd or lascivious offenses committed upon or in the presence of persons less than 16 years of age.

(1)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section:

(a)  "Sexual activity" means the oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by, or union with, the sexual organ of another or the anal or vaginal penetration of another by any other object; however, sexual activity does not include an act done for a bona fide medical purpose.

(b)  "Consent" means intelligent, knowing, and voluntary consent, and does not include submission by coercion.

(c)  "Coercion" means the use of exploitation, bribes, threats of force, or intimidation to gain cooperation or compliance.

(d)  "Victim" means a person upon whom an offense described in this section was committed or attempted or a person who has reported a violation of this section to a law enforcement officer.

(2)  PROHIBITED DEFENSES.--Neither the victim's lack of chastity nor the victim's consent is a defense to the crimes proscribed by this section.

(3)  IGNORANCE OR BELIEF OF VICTIM'S AGE.--The perpetrator's ignorance of the victim's age, the victim's misrepresentation of his or her age, or the perpetrator's bona fide belief of the victim's age cannot be raised as a defense in a prosecution under this section.

(4)  LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS BATTERY.--A person who:

(a)  Engages in sexual activity with a person 12 years of age or older but less than 16 years of age; or

(b)  Encourages, forces, or entices any person less than 16 years of age to engage in sadomasochistic abuse, sexual bestiality, prostitution, or any other act involving sexual activity

commits lewd or lascivious battery, a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(5)  LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION.--

(a)  A person who intentionally touches in a lewd or lascivious manner the breasts, genitals, genital area, or buttocks, or the clothing covering them, of a person less than 16 years of age, or forces or entices a person under 16 years of age to so touch the perpetrator, commits lewd or lascivious molestation.

(b)  An offender 18 years of age or older who commits lewd or lascivious molestation against a victim less than 12 years of age commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(c)

1. An offender less than 18 years of age who commits lewd or lascivious molestation against a victim less than 12 years of age; or

2. An offender 18 years of age or older who commits lewd or lascivious molestation against a victim 12 years of age or older but less than 16 years of age

commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(d)  An offender less than 18 years of age who commits lewd or lascivious molestation against a victim 12 years of age or older but less than 16 years of age commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(6)  LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS CONDUCT.--

(a)  A person who:

1. Intentionally touches a person under 16 years of age in a lewd or lascivious manner; or

2. Solicits a person under 16 years of age to commit a lewd or lascivious act

commits lewd or lascivious conduct.

(b)  An offender 18 years of age or older who commits lewd or lascivious conduct commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(c)  An offender less than 18 years of age who commits lewd or lascivious conduct commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(7)  LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS EXHIBITION.--

(a)  A person who:

1. Intentionally masturbates;

2. Intentionally exposes the genitals in a lewd or lascivious manner; or

3. Intentionally commits any other sexual act that does not involve actual physical or sexual contact with the victim, including, but not limited to, sadomasochistic abuse, sexual bestiality, or the simulation of any act involving sexual activity

in the presence of a victim who is less than 16 years of age, commits lewd or lascivious exhibition.

(b)  A person who:

1. Intentionally masturbates;

2. Intentionally exposes the genitals in a lewd or lascivious manner; or

3. Intentionally commits any other sexual act that does not involve actual physical or sexual contact with the victim, including, but not limited to, sadomasochistic abuse, sexual bestiality, or the simulation of any act involving sexual activity

live over a computer on-line service, Internet service, or local bulletin board service and who knows or should know or has reason to believe that the transmission is viewed on a computer or television monitor by a victim in this state who is less than 16 years of age, commits lewd or lascivious exhibition. The fact that an undercover operative or law enforcement officer was involved in the detection and investigation of an offense under this paragraph shall not constitute a defense to a prosecution under this paragraph.

(c)  An offender 18 years of age or older who commits a lewd or lascivious exhibition commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(d)  An offender less than 18 years of age who commits a lewd or lascivious exhibition commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(8)  EXCEPTION.--A mother's breastfeeding of her baby does not under any circumstance constitute a violation of this section.

History.--s. 1, ch. 21974, 1943; s. 1, ch. 26580, 1951; s. 780, ch. 71-136; s. 66, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-24; s. 40, ch. 75-298; s. 291, ch. 79-400; s. 5, ch. 84-86; s. 1, ch. 90-120; s. 5, ch. 93-4; s. 6, ch. 99-201; s. 1, ch. 2000-246.
__________________________________

Title XLVI Crimes
Chapter 847 Obscenity

Title XLVI Crimes
Chapter 877 Miscellaneous Crimes
 
877.03 Breach of the peace; disorderly conduct.

Whoever commits such acts as are of a nature to corrupt the public morals, or outrage the sense of public decency, or affect the peace and quiet of persons who may witness them, or engages in brawling or fighting, or engages in such conduct as to constitute a breach of the peace or disorderly conduct, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

History.--s. 1, ch. 59-325; s. 1147, ch. 71-136; s. 2, ch. 86-174.
__________________________________
 

[NAC NOTE 2: Th e successful 1999 appeal of Kayla Sosnow, who had been convicted under 877.03 for being topfree, casts official doubt on the use of 877.03 as a means of prohibiting nudity and other behavior where there is no complainant. SEE NAC NOTE 1.]
 

 | Return to top | NAC Home Page |