Sex offenses committed upon children younger than 16 include:

• A. Lewd or Lascivious Battery and Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition.
• B. Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition Only.
• C. Sexual Battery Only.
• D. No offenses under 16.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that statutes protecting children from sex offenses specify multiple distinct crimes that can be committed against someone under a certain age. When the victim is younger than 16, two core offenses often apply: Lewd or Lascivious Battery and Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition.

Lewd or Lascivious Battery means sexual touching of a child or touching the child in a way intended to satisfy the offender’s sexual desires. Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition involves exposing oneself or engaging in sexual acts in a manner that is meant to be lewd, and doing so in front of a minor. Both of these offenses are prosecutable when the victim is under 16, so the set of sex offenses against a minor includes both types.

Sexual Battery is another separate offense that can apply when there is sexual contact, but choosing only that option would miss the other valid offenses that also apply to a child under 16. The statement that there are no offenses under 16 is simply false because these acts are defined precisely to protect minors.