OFFENSES RELATING TO SEX

Denver Revised Municipal Code ch. 38, art. V, div. 2

in effect

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-156 Definitions.

Sec. 38-156. - Definitions. The following words and phrases, when used in this division, shall be defined as listed below: (1) Anal intercourse, as used in this section, means contact between the genital organs of one (1) person and the anus of another person. (2) Cunnilingus, as used in this section, means any act of oral stimulation of the vulva or clitoris. (3) Facility means any place or thing which provides seclusion, privacy, opportunity, protection, comfort or assistance to or for a person engaging or intending to engage in prostitution. (4) Fellatio, as used in this section, means any act of oral stimulation of the penis. (5) House of prostitution means a house or place kept or resorted to for the purpose of prostitution. (6) Masturbation, as used in this section, means stimulation of the genital organs by manual or other bodily contact exclusive of sexual intercourse. (7) Pandering means knowingly arranging or offering to arrange a situation in which a person may practice prostitution. (8) Prostitution means any act of sexual intercourse, including but not limited to fellatio, cunnilingus, masturbation, or anal intercourse, with any person not his/her spouse in exchange for money or other thing of value. (9) Spouse means persons sharing living quarters in a domestic relationship. (Code 1950, §§ 802.8, 802.9, 802.10, 802.12, 802.13, 802.14, 802.16; Ord. No. 390-80, § 1, 8-5-80; Ord. No. 984-94, § 3, 12-5-94)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-157 Public indecency.

Sec. 38-157. - Public indecency. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to perform an act of public indecency. (b) Any person commits public indecency who performs any of the following in a public place or where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by members of the public: (1) An act of sexual intercourse; (2) An act of deviate sexual intercourse; (3) Insertion of one (1) or more fingers or other object into the vagina or anus; (4) Caressing or fondling of the genitals of another person; (5) Patently offensive representations or imitations of sexual intercourse, masturbation or excretory functions accompanied by exhibition of the genitals; (6) Lewd fondling or caressing of the body of another person. (c) Violation of this section is a class 4 offense. (Code 1950, § 802.11; Ord. No. 328-26, § 21, 6-29-26)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-157.1 Indecent exposure.

Sec. 38-157.1. - Indecent exposure. (a) It shall be unlawful for a person to commit an act of indecent exposure. (b) A person commits an act of indecent exposure if they knowingly expose their genitals or buttocks to the view of any person under circumstances which are likely to cause a reasonable person affront or alarm. (c) A person commits an act of indecent exposure if they knowingly perform an act of masturbation in a manner which exposes the act to the view of any person under circumstances in which such conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm to the other person. (d) Violation of subsection (b) of this section is a class 4 offense. (e) Violation of subsection (c) of this section is a class 2 offense. (Ord. No. 967-99, § 1, 12-20-99; Ord. No. 328-26, § 22, 6-29-26)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-158 Prostitution.

Sec. 38-158. - Prostitution. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person: (1) Knowingly to solicit, induce, entice, or otherwise engage another person for the purpose of obtaining an offer or an agreement for any act of prostitution. Evidence of such illegal conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following: In the context of discussing sexual acts, money, or other things of value: a. Inquiring about whether a person is a police officer; b. Searching for articles that would identify a person as a police officer; c. Requesting a person to perform acts to prove that the person is not a police officer, including, but not limited to: (i) The touching or exposure of genitals or female breasts; or (ii) The consumption or use of alcohol, marijuana, or illegal controlled substances; (2) To arrange or offer to arrange a meeting of or to procure persons for the purpose of prostitution; (3) To direct another person to a place knowing such direction is for the purpose of prostitution; (4) Knowingly to arrange or offer to arrange a situation in which a person may practice prostitution; (5) To perform, offer or agree to any act of prostitution; (6) To enter or remain in a house of prostitution with the intent to engage in an act of prostitution. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to have or exercise or control the use of any facility, and (1) Knowingly to grant or permit the use of such facility for the purpose of prostitution; or (2) Knowingly to permit the continued use of such facility for the purpose of prostitution, after becoming aware of facts or circumstances from which such person should reasonably know that such facility is being used for purposes of prostitution. (c) The police shall immediately notify the manager of public health and environment of persons charged with violations of this section, and the manager may, pursuant to state law, order a medical examination pursuant to section 24-131 of the Revised Municipal Code. (d) Violation of subsection (a) of this section is a class 4 offense. (e) Violation of subsection (b) of this section is a class 3 offense. (Code 1950, § 822.1; Ord. No. 984-94, § 4, 12-5-94; Ord. No. 1110-96, § 1, 12-16-96; Ord. No. 548-16, § 1, 8-22-16; Ord. No. 427-18, § 24, 6-11-18; Ord. No. 697-21, § 1, 7-19-21; Ord. No. 328-26, § 23, 6-29-26)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-161 Bestiality.

Sec. 38-161. - Bestiality. It shall be unlawful for any person to have sexual intercourse with an animal other than a human being. (Code 1950, § 822.6)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-162 Unlawful to register fictitious name in public accommodations.

Sec. 38-162. - Unlawful to register fictitious name in public accommodations. It will be unlawful for any person to write or cause to be written, or knowingly permit to be written, in any register in any hotel, motor hotel, lodging house, rooming house, or other place whatsoever where transients are accommodated, any other or different name or designation than the true name of the person so registered therein, or the name by which such person is generally known, for the purpose of committing a criminal offense. (Code 1950, § 822.4; Ord. No. 849-91, § 1, 11-18-91)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-163 Use of transient accommodations for purposes relating to sexual offenses.

Sec. 38-163. - Use of transient accommodations for purposes relating to sexual offenses. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to permit the use of or to use any hotel, motor hotel, lodging house, rooming house, or other place whatsoever, where transients are accommodated, for the purpose of committing an offense relating to sex, as provided in this division. (Code 1950, § 822.5; Ord. No. 847-91, § 2, 11-18-91)

Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH38OFMIPR_ARTVOFREMO_DIV2OFRESEFetched: 10/27/2026