720 ILCS 5/11-11 – Sexual Relations Within Families

720 ILCS 5/11-11 – Sexual Relations Within Families

This law makes it a crime to have certain sexual contact with close family members when you know they are related to you.

This Illinois law says that if a person has sex with certain close relatives, and knows about that family relationship, it is a serious crime. The law lists which family relationships are covered and makes this crime a Class 3 felony.

(a) A person breaks this law if he or she:

1. Has sexual penetration with another person, as defined in Section 11-0.1 of the Illinois Criminal Code; and
2. Knows that the other person is related to him or her in one of the following ways:
   1. As a brother or sister, whether they share both parents (whole blood) or just one parent (half blood).
   2. As a father or mother, when the child is 18 years old or older at the time of the sexual act, no matter if the child is born in or out of marriage, is whole blood or half blood, or is adopted.
   3. As a stepfather or stepmother, when the stepchild is 18 years old or older at the time of the sexual act.
   4. As an aunt or uncle, when the niece or nephew is 18 years old or older at the time of the sexual act.
   5. As a great-aunt or great-uncle, when the grand-niece or grand-nephew is 18 years old or older at the time of the sexual act.
   6. As a grandparent or step-grandparent, when the grandchild or step-grandchild is 18 years old or older at the time of the sexual act.

(b) Sentence: Sexual relations within families is a Class 3 felony, which is a serious crime that can lead to prison time and other penalties.

View the full statute here.

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