Sex and the law | Right Decisions

Please update your RDS mobile app to version 4.7.1

We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. When you install the update, you will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.

You may need to actively install the update to install RDS app version 4.7.1 to see this improvement. Installing this update is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new contingency arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits.

To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:

On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.

On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.

Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.

Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009

Many young people will have an understanding of the age of consent being relevant to penetrative sex, they may not realise that oral sex is also illegal if you are aged under 16.

Sexual intercourse and oral sex between young people aged 16 or 17 and a person aged under 16 constitutes a criminal offence.

Other consensual sexual activity (e.g. sexual touching, excluding sexual intercourse and oral sex) is only lawful when the age difference between a person aged 16 or 17 and a person aged under 16 does not exceed 2 years.

Sexual intercourse and oral sex between children and young people under the age of 16 constitutes a criminal offence.

A child under the age of 13 is deemed to lack the capacity to consent to sexual activity, therefore any form of sexual activity with a child under the age of 13 is an offence.

Any sexual activity between an adult (aged over 18) and a child (aged under 16) constitutes a criminal offence.

There are a range of other laws related to intimate images and consent, detailed here