A person commits the crime of indecent exposure by exposing the person’s body or private parts (usually genitals, anus, buttocks, or female breasts) in a public place and in the presence of another person who might be offended, alarmed, or annoyed. Laws vary from state to state—including definitions of exposed body parts—and some states require the exposure to have been made with the intent to attract attention or to sexually gratify the person making the indecent exposure, or to sexually gratify another person, or to offend another person.

Indecent exposure laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Massachusetts, indecent exposure is governed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272, Section 53. Under this statute, a person commits the crime of indecent exposure when they intentionally expose their genitals, buttocks, or female breasts to one or more persons in a public place, or in a place where they could reasonably be seen from a public place, and such exposure is likely to cause shock or alarm. The law requires that the exposure be intentional and that it could be observed by the public or non-consenting individuals. The statute does not specifically require that the exposure be for the purpose of sexual gratification or to attract attention, but the context and the intent behind the act can be relevant factors in prosecution. Conviction for indecent exposure in Massachusetts can result in fines, imprisonment, or both, and may also require registration as a sex offender depending on the circumstances and the offender's criminal history.