New Jersey’s sexual offense statutes create a tiered framework addressing sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault based on the nature of the act, the relationship between the parties, and the vulnerability of the victim.
New Jersey Revised Statutes § 2C:14-2.1 establishes procedural safeguards for victims of sexual assault to ensure accuracy, transparency, and participation in the investigative process. The statute grants victims the right to review the initial incident report before it is formally filed and to complete a standardized form if they disagree with any portion of the report’s content.
Under New Jersey Revised Statutes § 2C:14-9.1, sexual extortion is defined as using threats to damage another person’s reputation or property, or to share sexual images or recordings, in order to coerce sexual acts or the creation of sexually explicit material. The offense covers a broad range of coercive behavior, including threats made online or in person, and the law applies whether or not the perpetrator ultimately profits from the act. Sexual extortion is classified as a third-degree crime, punishable by three to five years in prison and fines up to $15,000.
Under § 2C:24-10, it is a third-degree crime in the state of New Jersey to knowingly circumcise, excise, or infibulate the genitalia of a female under the age of 18, or to knowingly permit such conduct as a parent, guardian, or custodian. This law provides limited exceptions for medically necessary procedures performed by licensed healthcare professionals when required for the patient’s physical health, or related to childbirth.
Section 2C:34-1 of the New Jersey Criminal Code sets out the state’s laws on prostitution and its related crimes. It is illegal to engage in prostitution, to promote or profit from it, or to compel another person to participate in sexual activity for money or anything of value. When coercion or exploitation is proven, human trafficking serves as an affirmative defense.
New Jersey Revised Statutes § 47:1A-5.2 makes it a disorderly persons offense to knowingly disclose or distribute indecent or graphic images depicting another person’s intimate parts without that person’s prior written consent, or without consent from the next of kin if the individual is deceased.
New Jersey Revised Statutes § 52:18A-49.1 directs the Department of the Treasury to create and administer a certification process for LGBTQ+ owned businesses in accordance with Executive Order No. 295 (2022).
New Jersey Revised Statutes § 52:4B-51 requires the Attorney General, through the Department of Law and Public Safety, to establish and oversee a statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program. The statute defines a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner as a registered nurse with specialized forensic and medical training to provide trauma-informed care to sexual assault victims and to collect and preserve evidence for criminal investigation and prosecution.
Stalking is defined under § 2C:12-10 as a course of conduct carried out purposely and knowingly that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or to experience significant emotional distress. Such conduct may include following, monitoring, threatening, interfering with property, or engaging in repeated and unwanted contact or communications.
New Jersey’s human trafficking laws, set out in §§ 2C:13-8 and 2C:13-9, criminalize both direct participation in and facilitation of trafficking for labor, services, or sexual exploitation.
