The article is devoted to analyzing the normative and victimological aspects of sexual crimes qualification. According to the author, the normative regulation of responsibility for sexual crimes shouldn’t be excessively subdivided into parts and paragraphs; the basic task of law in this sphere is the unconditional condemnation of violence. As positive examples (in the comparative aspect) the paper analyzes the pre-revolutionary and Soviet criminal law. Identifying technical defects in the legislation, the author proposes to shift the focus from excessive lawmaking to the victimological prevention of sexual criminality