Sex scandal: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

A sex scandal is a scandal in which a public figure becomes embroiled in a situation where embarrassing sexual activities (or allegations of them) are publicized. These often involve adultery or some other form of affair. They may or may not be legal.

Sex scandals are often associated with movie stars and politicians, and are often believed to be the result of great power and wealth leading to poor judgement or a belief that rules do not apply to them.

Sex scandals involving politicians can become political scandals, particularly when there is an attempt at a cover-up, or suspicions of illegality.

List of famous sex scandals

• There is currently an ongoing sex scandal involving the United Kingdom's Charles, Prince of Wales. Under a court order, certain details of the scandal cannot be released where it may be viewable by the British public. It is alleged that Diana, Princess of Wales had tapes on which an aide has claimed he has seen Prince Charles in bed with one of his male servants.

• The Lewinsky scandal, in which sitting American President Bill Clinton engaged in a variety of sexual activities with his intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton's denial under oath made it worse and created, apart from the embarrassment, a legal problem that led to his impeachment.

• The Hugh Grant scandal, in which actor Hugh Grant picked up a prostitute and was subsequently arrested by Los Angeles police.

• Divorce of Britain's Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales after it was revealed both had been cheating on each other during their marriage.

• The Gary Condit scandal, in which a California congressman was revealed to be having an affair with his intern, which was alleged may have also led to her murder.

• Various Roman Catholic Church sex abuse allegations in which priests have been accused of molesting alter boys and other young church workers.

• Allegations against Michael Jackson of having engaged in sexual activities with a teenage boy in 1993 (a civil complaint that was settled out of court), and again with another one in 2003 (a felony complaint); in the latter case Jackson was arrested and released on bail. Jackson claims that there were never sexual activities, and defends nonsexual sleepovers as harmless.

• George Michael's 1998 arrest for "engaging in a lewd act" in a public restroom in a Beverly Hills city park.

• Uno Sosuke, Prime Minister of Japan, resigned in 1989, after less than three months when a geisha revealed that she had an affair with him.

• The Munsinger Affair Canada's first political sex scandal.

• The Profumo Affair, in which British Secretary of War John Profumo attempted to cover up his affair with a showgirl.

• Woody Allen - In 1992 he left his long-term partner Mia Farrow after she discovered his secret affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Farrow accused him of being a pedophile (she is 35 years his junior) and of abusing their seven-year-old daughter Dylan.