Love - how do you know?

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/what-3.aspx

How do you know when you've fallen in love, or if this is the person you want to have a sexual relationship with? There is no simple answer. There's no checklist or quiz that can tell you when you're in love or you're ready to have sex. You need to look for the answers inside yourself; look at how you feel about this person.

• Do you trust them?
• Do you enjoy being around them?
• Do you want to be intimate with them?
• Would you feel comfortable being naked in front of them?

THE GOOD The good news is that a good relationship can change the world as you know it. In a positive relationship, you can still be your own person, as well as part of a couple.

THE BAD A bad relationship is one in which you don't feel you can be yourself, or when you feel pressured into doing things you're not comfortable with or that you wouldn't normally do.

To know when you're in a bad relationship, you need to know who you are, what you want and what you're comfortable with.

True love can last. It may start out like infatuation, but pretty soon the difference will become clear. Loving someone means knowing who they are - their good and their not-so-good qualities. It's respecting (and often sharing) their values, choices and feelings...the glue of an awesome relationship.

Love means respecting space and time - knowing that your partner is emotionally there, even when they can't be physically beside you. You may or may not choose to start a sexual relationship with the one you love. Remember that there are many ways to express your affection for someone, sex is just one of those ways. Choosing not to have sex doesn't mean you don't love each other.it just means that you have found other ways to express your feelings!

Healthy Relationships

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/what-4.aspx

A healthy relationship makes you feel good about yourself and your partner. You have fun together and you and your partner can be yourselves. All relationships are different, but healthy relationships share at least five things in common - the S.H.A.R.E. qualities.

1. Safety: In a healthy relationship, you feel safe. You don't have to worry that your partner will harm you physically or emotionally, and you aren't tempted to harm them. You can change your mind about something - like having sex - without being afraid of how your partner will respond.
2. Honesty: You don't hide anything important from your partner, and can say what you think without fear of being ridiculed. You can admit to being wrong, and you resolve disagreements by talking honestly.
3. Acceptance: You accept each other as you are. You appreciate your partner's unique qualities, such as shyness or spaceyness, and don't try to "fix" them. If you don't like your partner's qualities, you shouldn't be with that person.
4. Respect: You think highly of each other. You do not feel superior or inferior to your partner in important ways. You respect each other's right to have separate opinions and ideas.
5. Enjoyment: A good relationship is not just about how two people treat each other - it also has to be enjoyable. (If it's not enjoyable, why bother?) In a healthy relationship, you feel energized and alive in your partner's presence. You can play and laugh together. You have fun.

The opposite of a healthy relationship is an abusive relationship. Abusive relationships revolve around control, fear, and lack of respect. Usually, one partner has control while the other cowers in resentment or fear. Abusive relationships can involve threats, name-calling, blaming, guilt-tripping, jealous questioning, and outright violence.

If you suspect you're in an abusive relationship, there's a good chance you are. Perhaps you know deep down that you'd be better off without the relationship but are afraid to leave it. If that's the case, get help from a parent, school counsellor, doctor, psychologist, social worker or anyone else you trust. Your doctor or local/regional sexual clinic can steer you toward appropriate counselling services.

Being in an abusive relationship hurts your self-esteem. You owe it to yourself to to get out.

Understanding Sexuality

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/what-5.aspx

Sex can be pretty confusing. You may have been told that sex is a sacred act between two married people who love each other very much. But then you turn on your TV and you see quite a different story - people having casual or meaningless sex, using it to get revenge or to control people, or using it to advertise everything from soft drinks to vacuum cleaners.

The point is, there's a lot of bad information floating around about sex. And while you may have already had "The Sex Talk" with your parents, you may still have a few questions. Your parents, your teachers or your doctor would likely be happy to answer your questions, but let's face it, some of this stuff can be pretty embarrassing:

Wet Dreams

Sexy dreams can cause a guy to have an erection and ejaculate, or cum, during his sleep. When he wakes up, he's wet and sticky. This is a wet dream. The same occurs in girls, but the amount of moisture they produce is much less, and therefore it's not as noticeable. Wet dreams are pretty common at your age, but they don't happen to everybody, so don't worry if it doesn't happen to you.

Fantasies

Fantasies are a safe way to explore your sexual desires. They're not weird, everybody has them and they don't make you a "pervert", so don't feel guilty about having them. Fantasies help you learn more about yourself and your romantic feelings, without having to act on them. They help you figure out what turns you on and what you're comfortable with. You can learn a lot from fantasies - what you want to do and what you don't - but a lot of fantasies will just stay as fantasies. It's normal for people to fantasize about things that they wouldn't be comfortable doing in real life. Or your fantasies can set the stage for real-life situations, and prepare you to act in a way that is true to yourself. They allow you to imagine having sex...without any of the real-life consequences.

In some cases, your fantasies may become too big a part of your day.and you may spend more time in your head than on earth. Or, your fantasies become so life-like that you find it hard to hold back from trying them out in real life. In these situations, it may help to talk to someone you trust to help sort out your feelings.

The Bottom Line

Do what you need to do to answer your questions. Read books, fantasize, and ask a trusted friend lots of questions. Or if you're comfortable, you can talk to your doctor, a school nurse, or a pharmacists - remember, unless you are in danger or have broken the law, whatever you talk about with your health care provider is confidential. Just remember that getting answers to your questions will help you grow as a healthy, mature sexual being.

You might find it embarrassing to ask questions about sex, but just think: If and when you decide to have sex, don't you want to be sure that you've done your homework? If you think it's embarrassing to ask questions now, just think how embarrassing it would be later!

Take a look at your body! (Female)

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/what-6-1.aspx

Female Sexual Organs

Female sexual organs are both inside and outside your body. The clitoris, mons pubis, inner and outer lips, and the vaginal opening are outside, and as a group are called the vulva. A lot of people confuse the vulva with the vagina. The vulva is the outside part, and the vagina is on the inside. The shape, look and colour of the vulva differs from one woman to the next.

Female Reproductive Organs (Close-up view)

Female Pelvis - Side View

Female Genitals

Hymen: As fetuses, all females have a membrane that covers the opening to the vagina. Usually this membrane dissolves away before you are born leaving only a small rim around the opening to the vagina (the hymen). In some women, the membrane is only partially dissolved, and there is a partial blockage of the vaginal opening that may make it difficult to insert or remove tampons and may tear slightly to create sufficient space for the penis during the first attempt to have sexual intercourse.

Take a look at your body! (male)

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/what-6-2.aspx

Your penis is multipurpose, responsible for sexual pleasure, reproduction, and secretion of both urine and semen. The end of the penis, called the glans, contains the urethral opening that allows urine and semen to pass from the body. In uncircumcised men, an additional layer of skin covers the glans, and is referred to as the foreskin.

The main part of your penis is called the shaft, and the raised ridge that separates the shaft from the glans is called the corona. The entire penis is sensitive, but the glans and the corona are really sensitive. An erection occurs when your penis becomes stimulated, filling with blood and expanding. Though true of many other species, the human penis does not contain a bone.

Male Reproductive organs (side-view)

Male Reproductive organs (close-up)

Am I Pregnant?

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/am-i-pregnant.aspx

Missing your period

If you have been sexually active, missing a period is the most tell-tale sign of pregnancy. If you have missed your period, you may want to consider taking a home pregnancy test.

However, even though a missed period is a common sign of pregnancy, there are other reasons why you may miss a period as well. Diet, excessive exercise and stress may all cause a woman to miss her period. In addition, certain birth control methods such as Depo ProveraTM and Hormonal Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) can also reduce or stop menstrual bleeding.

Some women, particularly younger women, may have irregular menstrual cycles, making it very difficult to predict when her period is due.

If you have lighter, shorter or irregular bleeding

After becoming pregnant, some women may experience what is called implantation bleeding. This bleeding is caused when a fertilized egg implants on the wall of the uterus. Sometimes, a woman may mistake this bleeding for a light period.

Other early symptoms of pregnancy

In addition to missing or having a delayed period, some common signs of pregnancy can include:

• Fatigue: Women may often feel tired or fatigued soon after becoming pregnant.
• Faintness: Some women may feel faint or lightheaded early on in her pregnancy.
• Breast Changes: Breasts may begin to feel tender and/or swollen and heavier. The areola (the circle of skin directly surrounding the nipples) may become darker.
• Constipation, Gas or Bloating.
• Nausea/Morning Sickness: This is a common symptom of pregnancy, although it is also a very common symptom of other illnesses such as the flu. Even though it is called “Morning” sickness, you may vomit or feel nauseous at any time of the day. Nausea may sometimes be triggered by the taste or smell of food.
• Frequent Urination.
• Backaches and Headaches: Backaches are common during pregnancy and can sometimes start early. Headaches can be caused by hormonal changes in pregnancy.
• Mood Swings: Though also a possible symptom of PMS, hormone changes during pregnancy can cause mood swings for some women.
• Cramping: Also a very common symptom of PMS, cramping can occur during early pregnancy.

Understanding these symptoms

It is very important to remember that having any, or even all of the symptoms above, does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant. None of these symptoms are unique to pregnancy. They are all very common and may be caused by PMS or common illnesses such as the flu. In addition, while some pregnant women will have many of these symptoms, others will have only one or two, and still others will have none at all. If you believe that you may be pregnant, you may want to do a home pregnancy test.

About Home Pregnancy Tests:

Home pregnancy tests work by detecting a special hormone in your urine called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). If used correctly, home pregnancy tests are quite accurate. However, accuracy of the test depends on several things, most importantly:

• When you take the test: Pregnancy tests are less accurate if they are taken too early after conception. This is because less of the pregnancy hormone is in the urine soon after conception. Many tests will instruct you to wait for one to two weeks and then take a second test to confirm the results of the first. Most urine pregnancy tests are sensitive enough to detect a pregnancy by the first day of a missed period.
• Following instructions: To ensure an accurate result, make sure that you follow all of the instructions carefully, and make sure the test kit has not passed its expiry date.

If the test is negative

If the home pregnancy test is negative, this does not necessarily mean that you are not pregnant. Occasionally, particularly if the test is taken too early, home pregnancy tests give false negatives, meaning the test will indicate that you are not pregnant when it is really too early to tell. Follow the test’s instructions carefully and repeat the test as directed.

If the test is positive:

False positives (when the test tells you that you are pregnant and you are not) are very rare. If a home pregnancy test shows up positive, contact your healthcare provider or a health clinic to schedule a visit.

Next Steps:

If a home pregnancy test confirms that you are pregnant, it is important to speak with a healthcare provider or clinic soon, whether you plan to continue the pregnancy or not.

If you plan to continue the pregnancy, you should contact your healthcare provider or a local health clinic to arrange your first prenatal visit. In the meantime, you should take care to eat well and avoid alcohol, drugs, tobacco and other things that could harm your baby. You should also continue to take or start to take a prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid.

At your first prenatal visit, your healthcare provider can confirm that you are indeed pregnant. He or she will likely measure your height, weight and blood pressure. You may have a pelvic exam including a pap test if you have not had one within the last year, and blood and urine samples may be taken to ensure that you and your baby are off to a healthy start.

Your healthcare professional will also discuss your medical and obstetric history and answer any questions that you may have. At this visit, your healthcare provider will estimate your due date, based on the date of your last period. If you are unsure of when your last period was, your health care provider may arrange for you to have an ultrasound to determine how far along you are in your pregnancy.

Sex and Law

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/what-8.aspx

How old do I have to be to make my own decisions about medical treatment?

In Canada, the age of consent for medical treatment can differ across provinces and territories. It can also differ based on the nature of treatment and the place where treatment is offered. For example, in both Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island you must be at least 18 years of age or married to consent to treatment in a public hospital. However, there is no legislated age for having a procedure such as an abortion in a clinic rather than a hospital. In provinces that haven’t legislated an age of consent, the concept of the mature minor applies. This means that a person can choose to have medical treatment, regardless of their age, if he or she is able to understand the information about the treatment, including possible risks and consequences. Permission from your parents is not required if your health practitioner believes you understand the information given to you. You can contact your local public health department or sexual health clinic for information on age of consent in your province or territory.

If I see a doctor will my parents have to know?

The age when you can see a doctor without your parents’ consent can vary across provinces and territories. If your province or territory does not specify the age you can see a doctor on your own, then you are allowed to make your own decisions if you are considered to be mature enough. This means that your doctor must be confident that you fully understand any information given to you. The information you share with your doctor will be kept confidential except in certain instances. For example, if your doctor has reason to suspect that you are being abused, or that you might harm yourself or others, he or she can share this information with others. If these conditions don’t apply, and your doctor wants to send your personal information to someone else, you should be asked to sign a consent form that clearly states what information is being shared and with whom. You do not have to consent if you don’t want your information shared. You also have the right to look at any notes or records that your doctor keeps about your healthcare.

Can I get emergency contraception from a pharmacist even if I am under 18?

In Canada, the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) is available without a prescription from licensed pharmacists. No other drugstore staff can give you ECP, it must be a pharmacist. It is not kept on the open shelves and so you must ask for it at the counter. Pharmacists are required to tell you about the drug, how it works and possible side effects. If you are a minor, a pharmacist can refuse to give you the drug only if they think you don’t understand the information given to you. They are also bound by law to report cases of suspected sexual abuse for those under the age of 18. If you are over 18, it is a woman’s own decision as to whether or not she wants to report any form of assault or abuse. Some pharmacists may have religious or moral objections to the use of ECP. If this is the case, they can refuse to give you the drug but they should direct you to other places where you can obtain it, such as nearby clinics, hospitals or pharmacies. You have the right to be treated with respect and sensitivity regardless of the personal beliefs of a pharmacist. Any record of your use of ECP is confidential and should not be made available to anyone else without your signed consent.

Will they ask me for ID if I want to buy condoms in a drugstore?

Unlike cigarettes and alcohol, you don’t have to prove you are a certain age to buy condoms. Sexual health products such as condoms, spermicides, lubricants or contraceptive sponges do not require a prescription and can be purchased by anyone regardless of age. No one should ask you for proof of age if you buy condoms in a store or from a vending machine.

What are the rights and responsibilities of a father who is under the age of 18?

When a man fathers a child at any age he is financially responsible for that child until the child turns 19. If a man is legally acknowledged to be the father of a child then he has parental rights for custody and access to the child. When a child’s birth is registered the name of the father must be recorded for paternity to be recognized. If a woman does not give the name of the father when the birth is registered, and a man wants to be acknowledged as the father, then there are other ways of establishing paternity. The biological father can make a formal application to the courts to be recognized as the father of a child. It might be necessary to use genetic testing to prove who the father of a child is. If a man denies he is the father of a child, the mother can ask the courts to recognize him as the father. Once paternity of a child is established, then the rights of the child to financial support must be met, and the rights of the father to have access to his child must also be considered.

What is the age of consent for sexual activity?

The age of consent refers to the age at which a people are able to make their own decisions about sexual activity. In Canada, the age of consent was recently raised from 14 to 16, with some exceptions that still stand. Unmarried persons under the age of 18 cannot consent to anal sex. Someone under the age of 18 cannot legally consent to have sex with a person in a position of authority such as a teacher, health care provider, coach, lawyer or family member. As well, 12 and 13 year-olds can consent to have sex with other youth who are not more than 2 years older than themselves. There is also a provision called the 5 year peer group provision, which means that youth aged 14 or 15 will be able to consent to sex with partners who are no more than 5 years older than themselves. Many worry that raising the age of consent deters youth from asking for sexual health information and treatment. Advocates of sexual rights for youth argue that criminalizing sexuality is not an effective way to deal with issues of abuse and exploitation, and that raising the age of consent only forces youth to neglect their sexual health for fear of legal consequences.

Is the age of consent different for anal sex?

The Criminal Code of Canada states that persons under the age of 18 cannot engage in anal intercourse except if they are legally married. For those over the age of 18, anal intercourse is legal only when it is practiced in private between 2 consenting adults. This section of the Criminal Code has been declared unconstitutional by federal courts of appeal, as well as by courts of appeal in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec. The courts in this case ruled that a higher age of consent for anal sex, than for vaginal sex, discriminated against gay men and violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. As long as the Criminal Code remains unchanged, the possibility that people could be charged with this offence still exists. Therefore, gay rights activists are lobbying to have a uniform age of consent for both anal and vaginal sex.

What types of material are considered to be child pornography?

The Canadian Criminal Code defines child pornography as pictures, films, videos or other visual representations that show persons under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit activities. These images can also be considered pornographic if they show the sexual organs or the anal region of a person under 18 for expressly sexual purposes. Child pornography can also include written or audio material that describes or records sexual activity with a person under the age of 18. It is an offence to possess, create, advertise or distribute any material that meets this definition of child pornography. It is also illegal to counsel or encourage illegal sexual activity with someone under the age of 18. Illegal sexual activity could include anal sex, sex with a person of authority, or sex for the purposes of prostitution.

The interpretation of this definition of child pornography is not always clear cut. For example, it is legal for youth 16 and over to engage in sex but it is illegal for them to send pictures of themselves in sexual situations over the internet. However, pictures of nude children that have no sexual intent, such as pictures a parent might take of a child in the bath, are not considered pornographic. The definition of sexually explicit is not clearly stated in legislation and is open to interpretation. Photographs or images that some would define as artistic could be labeled as sexually explicit by others.

The concept of advocating illegal sexual activity can also cause confusion in certain situations. Some might argue that educational materials that counsel gay youth on safe sex practices are actually forms of child pornography, since they advise youth under 18 on ways to safely practice anal sex. Sexual health material that describes sexual practices, and is aimed at youth under 18, could be interpreted as pornographic by some. These are examples of extreme interpretations of the concept of child pornography but they highlight some concerns that sexual rights advocates have with how the legislation could be applied.

Can I get tested for HIV/AIDS without giving my name?

If you want to get tested for HIV/AIDS, and you don’t want to give your name, you can choose anonymous testing. When you go to get tested you do not have to give your name. You are given a unique code which you then use to identify your results. You may be asked information about your age, gender or ethnicity, but this is for general statistical purposes and is not connected with your name. When you receive your test results they are not recorded on your health record. Only you can decide if you want to give this information to a health care professional. Anonymous testing is usually offered at clinics and by some health care providers. All provinces have HIV/AIDS testing sites but at the present only 8 provinces offer anonymous testing. Each province and territory has a HIV/AIDS hotline that you can call to locate HIV testing sites near you. (www.aidssida.cpha.ca/english/links_e/index.htm).

If you have a positive test result your sexual partners need to know that they might have been exposed to the virus. You can choose to do this yourself, or you can contact a public health nurse with information about your partners. Your sexual partners will be contacted and advised to be tested for HIV/AIDS, but your name will not be mentioned.

Do all young people have the right to health information and services?

In 1989, Canada, along with 191 other nations, signed the UN Convention of the Rights on the Child. This international treaty states that all persons under the age of 18 are entitled to adequate health care and education, the right to be protected from abuse and neglect, and the right to participate in decisions that affect them. The UN Convention clearly states that children are entitled to appropriate health education, support and services. This means that it is your right to have access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. As well, it is your right to have a say in any treatment decisions that might affect you. While the UN Convention of the Rights on the Child is an international agreement, it is up to the individual countries to ensure that their laws support the rights outlined in the document. In Canada, the federal government has defined basic principles of universal health care in the Canada Health Act. The Act states that all Canadians must have reasonable access to insured, medically necessary health care services. Health care is a provincial responsibility, but each province must follow the principles of the Canada Health Act. Both the Canada Health Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child underline the rights of young people to adequate health information and services so that they can lead safe and healthy lives.

Related Links:

• Sex and the Law in Canada. Options for Sexual Health
• Child sexual exploitation and the age of consent. AboutKidsHealth
• Age of Consent Position Statement. Canadian Federation for Sexual Health.
  
• A Youth Activist’s Guide to Sexual and Reproductive Rights. The Youth Coalition
  
• FAQ: Age of Consent to Sexual Activity. Canada. Dept. of Justice
  
• Summary of Age-Based Legal Milestones for Youth in Ontario, Canada. Justice for Children and Youth
  
• The Rights of the Child in the Health Care System. Canadian Institute of Child Health.
  
• Health Care and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children
  
• What are my Health Care Rights? Guide to Health and Mental Health Law in Ontario. Justice for Children and Youth.

Sexual Assault

from: http://www.sexualityandu.ca/teens/what-7.aspx

Sexual abuse is a terrible crime with serious consequences. It can hurt a victim's sex life (for the rest of their life), cause anxiety or depression and can destroy a person's self-esteem. These consequences can haunt a victim for the rest of their life. If the abuse is frequent, committed by a family member or involves full-blown sex, things are likely to be even worse. Sexual abuse will make you feel alone, worthless and scared. Sadly, many cases are never reported, particularly when a family member is involved.

If you're being abused, please talk to someone you trust, like your school's guidance counselor. Do it for yourself, so that you can feel safe and be happy. Your body belongs to YOU AND ONLY YOU. No one - not a parent, not a relative, not a friend that you trust - should ever have control over it.

Both guys and girls can be victims of sexual assault or rape

You may think, "but sex feels good and people have sex all the time, so why is sexual assault such a big deal?" Sexual assault isn't about sex. It's about fear and control, and it changes a victim for the rest of their lives. It robs them of their sense of security, something that may never fully come back. So yeah, it's a big deal. In fact, it's just about as big a deal as deals can get.

Even if a person is not physically hurt during these crimes, the emotional scars left by these crimes last a long time, and people who have been assaulted often continue to be afraid, anxious or have trouble sexually throughout their lives.

Date rape, or rape by someone you know is much more common than sexual assault by a complete stranger.

The best way to avoid sexual assault is to make sure that you always feel safe and in control of a situation. If you don't, GET OUT OF THERE. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. You don't have to go drink at that college party, and you don't have to go park with your boyfriend.

Sexual assault is any sexual activity without consent, and it is against the law. Sexual violence is not about sex: it is about power. It happens to men, but it's almost always an issue of men trying to hold power over women.

If someone tells you that they have been abused or sexually assaulted:

• Listen.
• Thank them for confiding in you, and acknowledge how hard it must be to talk about the abuse.
• Tell them that you believe them. It is important for someone who has been abused or sexually assaulted to have people believe what has happened. People rarely lie about being abused or assaulted.
• Support their feelings by saying things like: "It sounds like it was really scary" or "I understand why you feel so terrible."
• Let them know that it wasn't their fault. The only person to blame is the offender.
• Help them report the crime to the authorities. Be their friend. It's not easy for victims to talk about being assaulted. Go with them to get help, and offer to stay by their side through the whole thing. It's impossible to put into words how important this is. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE. So be strong; be there for them. (see below).
• Help them find places where they can get help(e.g. sexual assault centre).

Note: If you know or suspect that someone under 16 is being, or is likely to be, neglected or emotionally, physically, or sexually abused, you have a legal obligation to report it to the Ministry of Children and Families or Child Protection Office in your province.

If someone tells you that they've been acting in a way that you think is abusive:

• Listen.
• Support change in the behaviour.
• Speak out and address abusive comments.
• Help them understand that they are the only one responsible for the violence, even if their partner is responsible for other problems in the relationship. Violence is a learned behaviour and can be unlearned.
• Encourage them to seek help in a counseling program. The violence will not stop on its own.

Sexual Assault: The Law

Level 1 - Sexual Assault
It is a crime if someone forces any form of sexual activity on someone else (e.g. kissing, fondling, touching, sexual intercourse, etc.) without that person's consent.

Level 2 - Sexual Assault with a Weapon
It is a crime if, during a sexual assault

• the attacker either uses a weapon or threatens to use a weapon (imitation or real)
• the attacker causes bodily harm to the victim
• the attacker threatens to harm a person other than the victim
• more than one person assaults the victim in the same incident

Level 3 - Aggravated Sexual Assault
It is a crime if, while committing a sexual assault, the attacker

• wounds, maims, disfigures, or brutally beats the victim
• endangers the life of the victim.

Sexual Interference (against children under 14)

It is a crime if someone, for a sexual purpose, touches any part of the body of a child (under the age of 14).

Invitation to Sexual Touching (against children under 14)

It is a crime if someone, for a sexual purpose, encourages a child to touch them with any part of the child's body or with an object.

Invitation to Sexual Touching (against children 14-17)

It is a crime if someone who is in a position of trust or authority towards a young person (someone between the ages of 14 and 17) or a person with whom the young person is in a relationship of dependency (guardian, foster-parent, parent) commits the offence of "sexual interference" or "invitation to sexual touching" described above.

Incest

It is a crime if a blood relation has sexual intercourse with another blood relation (e.g. parent, brother, half-brother, sister, grandparent, etc.).

Exposure

It is a crime if someone, for a sexual purpose, exposes his or her genitals to a person who is under the age of 14. (If this happens to someone over the age of 14, it is only against the law if it happens in a public place.)

Offence in Relation to Juvenile Prostitution

It is a crime if someone buys or attempts to buy the sexual services of a person who is under the age of 18.

Sources

1. Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC) (1998) Preventing Sexual Assault. Toronto: Author.
2. Victoria Women's Sexual Assault Centre (1994) Today's Talk About Sexual Violence: A Booklet for Teens. Victoria: Author.
3. Education Wife Assault (1993) Preventing Violence in Dating Relationships: A Teaching Guide. Toronto: Author.