Sex Crimes in Texas | Criminal Law

Texas Sex Crimes are found in the Texas Penal Code (abbreviated here as “PC”). A complete list of Texas sex crimes are below, but we have excluded certain offense that primarily fall into another category. Many of these exceptions have to do with sex crimes involving children, like Indecency with a Child. Look in the Child Abuse Crimes category for information about those offenses.

Most sex crimes primarily deal with the issue of consent. Related to consent, some of these offenses deal with sex in public places, where other people have not consent to view the public display of affection.Many sex crimes convictions require mandatory “registration” as a sex offender. Some of these registration periods can be lifetime burdens. However, under some circumstances, registration requirements may be lifted. See Sex Offender Deregistration

Sex crime prosecutions are growing at a breakneck pace in Texas. Many of these are very easy crimes to find yourself accused of, and they are hard to fight because of the very limited amount of evidence the state’s attorneys need to have to go forward with a prosecution. Often, there is only one witness, the accuser, and there is no physical evidence to support any conclusion or to use in defending yourself. If you want to learn more about a particular sex crime in Texas, click on the appropriate link below. If you have found yourself accused of a Texas Sex Crime, learn more about our Sex Crime Defense Practice.

What are the sex crimes in Texas?

The list below contains each of the Sex Crimes in Texas.

• PC 15.032 – Child Grooming *effective September 1, 2023
• PC 21.06 – Homosexual Conduct*
• PC 21.07 – Public Lewdness *amendments effective September 1, 2023
• PC 21.08 – Indecent Exposure *amendments effective September 1, 2023
• PC 21.08 – Bestiality *effective September 1, 2017
• PC 21.15 – Invasive Visual Recording
• PC 21.165 – Unlawful Production Or Distribution Of Certain Sexually Explicit Videos (Deep Fake Pornography) *effective September 1, 2023
• PC 21.17 – Voyeurism *amendments effective September 1, 2023
• PC 21.16 – Unlawful Disclosure or Promotion of Intimate Visual Material (The law covering “Revenge Porn“)
• PC 21.16 – Sexual Coercion *effective September 1, 2017
• PC 22.011 – Sexual Assault
• PC 22.012 – Indecent Assault *effective September 1, 2019
• PC 22.021 – Aggravated Sexual Assault
• PC 25.02 – Prohibited Sexual Conduct (the law against incest)
• PC 38.111 – Improper Contact with Victim
• PC 39.041 – Improper Sexual Activity With Committed Person *effective September 1, 2023
• PC 43.02 – Prostitution
• PC 43.262 – Possession or Promotion of Lewd Visual Material Depicting Child
• PC 43.03 – Promotion of Prostitution
• PC 43.031 – Online Promotion of Prostitution *effective September 1, 2019
• PC 43.04 – Aggravated Promotion of Prostitution
• PC 43.041 – Aggravated Online Promotion of Prostitution *effective September 1, 2019
• PC 43.05 – Compelling Prostitution (the law prohibiting “pimping“)
• PC 43.22 – Obscene Display or Distribution
• PC 43.23 – Obscenity
• PC 43.26 – Possession or Promotion of Child Pornography *amendments effective September 1, 2023
• PC 43.261 – Electronic Transmission of Certain Visual Material Depicting Minor (the “sexting” offense applicable to minors) *amendments effective September 1, 2023
• PC 43.262 – Possession or Promotion of Lewd Visual Material Depicting Child *effective September 1, 2017, amendments effective September 1, 2023
• PC 43.28 – Certain Sexually Oriented Performances Prohibited *effective September 1, 2023

*The offense defined as “Homosexual Conduct” is still on the books as a crime in Texas, but it has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

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