Title 49, Chapter 5, Section 40
( 49-5-40)
(a) As used in this article, the term: (1) "Abused" means subjected to child abuse. (2) "Child" means any person under 18 years of age. (3) "Child abuse" means: (A) Physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent
or caretaker thereof by other than accidental means; provided,
however, physical forms of discipline may be used as long as
there is no physical injury to the child; (B) Neglect or exploitation of a child by a parent or caretaker
thereof; (C) Sexual abuse of a child; (D) Sexual exploitation of a child; or (E) However, no child who in good faith is being treated solely
by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets
and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination
by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall, for that reason
alone, be considered to be an "abused" child. (3.1) "Sexual abuse" means a person's employing, using,
persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any minor who is not
that person's spouse to engage in any act which involves: (A) Sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital,
anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same
or opposite sex; (B) Bestiality; (C) Masturbation; (D) Lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of any person; (E) Flagellation or torture by or upon a person who is nude; (F) Condition of being fettered, bound, or otherwise physically
restrained on the part of a person who is nude; (G) Physical contact in an act of apparent sexual stimulation or
gratification with any person's clothed or unclothed genitals,
pubic area, or buttocks or with a female's clothed or unclothed
breasts; (H) Defecation or urination for the purpose of sexual
stimulation; or (I) Penetration of the vagina or rectum by any object except
when done as part of a recognized medical procedure. "Sexual abuse" shall not include consensual sex acts involving
persons of the opposite sex when the sex acts are between minors
or between a minor and an adult who is not more than five years
older than the minor. This provision shall not be deemed or
construed to repeal any law concerning the age or capacity to
consent. (4) "Sexual exploitation" means conduct by a child's parent or
caretaker who allows, permits, encourages, or requires that child
to engage in: (A) Prostitution, as defined in Code Section 16-6-9; or (B) Sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual or print medium depicting such conduct, as defined in Code Section 16-12-100. (b) Each and every record concerning reports of child abuse and child controlled substance or marijuana abuse which is in the custody of the department or other state or local agency is declared to be confidential, and access thereto is prohibited except as provided in Code Section 49-5-41 and Code Section 49-5-41.1. |