sex crime: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal, legal, journalistic, academic
Quick answer
What does “sex crime” mean?
A criminal offense involving illegal sexual activity or behavior.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A criminal offense involving illegal sexual activity or behavior.
Any crime that has a sexual element, ranging from sexual assault and rape to distribution of illegal pornography and sexual harassment that violates criminal law.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Both use the term identically in legal and media contexts.
Connotations
Equally serious and negative in both varieties. The term carries strong moral and legal condemnation.
Frequency
Equally common in formal registers in both the UK and US.
Grammar
How to Use “sex crime” in a Sentence
be charged with a sex crimebe accused of a sex crimethe sex crime of [specific crime, e.g., rape]a sex crime against [victim]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sex crime” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The predator was convicted for attempting to sex-crime a minor.
- The new law aims to prevent individuals from sex-criming.
American English
- The statute is designed to prosecute those who sex-crime vulnerable adults.
- He was arrested for attempting to sex-crime.
adverb
British English
- The act was sex-criminally motivated.
- [Highly uncommon usage]
American English
- He acted sex-criminally, according to the indictment.
- [Highly uncommon usage]
adjective
British English
- The police have a dedicated sex-crime division.
- He is on the sex-crime offenders register.
American English
- She works as a sex-crime prosecutor for the state.
- The department handles sex-crime cases exclusively.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in HR policies regarding criminal background checks: 'The company's policy prohibits hiring anyone convicted of a serious sex crime.'
Academic
Common in criminology, sociology, law, and psychology: 'The study analysed the recidivism rates for different categories of sex crime.'
Everyday
Used in news consumption and serious discussions: 'The newspaper reported on a high-profile sex crime trial.'
Technical
Standard in legal statutes and police reporting: 'The suspect faces three counts of sex crime under Section 5 of the Act.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sex crime”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sex crime”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sex crime”
- Using 'sex crime' to refer to infidelity or consensual acts that are socially frowned upon but not illegal.
- Incorrectly capitalising it as a proper noun (e.g., 'Sex Crime').
- Omitting the article: 'He was charged with sex crime' (incorrect) vs. '...with a sex crime' (correct).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Sexual assault' is a specific type of sex crime. 'Sex crime' is a broader category that includes sexual assault, rape, sexual abuse, illegal pornography, and other offences defined by law.
In standard formal English, it is almost exclusively a noun compound ('commit a sex crime'). The verbal forms provided in the examples are highly non-standard, technical, or legal jargon and are not recommended for general use.
In many legal contexts, they are synonyms. However, in some jurisdictions, 'offence' might include less serious, non-indictable acts, while 'crime' often implies more serious, indictable offences. In general usage, they are interchangeable.
It belongs to a low-frequency, formal lexical set related to law and serious social issues. It requires an understanding of complex societal and legal concepts, making it more appropriate for advanced (C1/C2) learners who engage with authentic news, academic, or professional texts.
A criminal offense involving illegal sexual activity or behavior.
Sex crime is usually formal, legal, journalistic, academic in register.
Sex crime: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛks ˌkraɪm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛks ˌkraɪm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific compound]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'SEX' + 'CRIME' = a CRIMinal act related to SEXual activity.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRIME IS A DISEASE / STAIN (e.g., 'a stain of sex crimes on the community', 'the cancer of sex crime').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'sex crime' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?