In the US, laws vary from state to state. In March 2004, a general court sentenced a teacher to three years in prison and 300 lashes for declaring that masturbation (as well as homosexuality, smoking and music) were permissible under Islam. The court ruled that she was legally entitled to a 15-minute break every two hours. In 2011, a Brazilian woman took her employers to court after doctors gave evidence about her need to masturbate up to 47 times a day. The overall penalty incurred is dependent on a range of circumstantial factors.

Masturbating in public remains prohibited, though, because of several other laws, the key one being Section 28 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 which states it is an offence for anyone to 'wilfully and indecently' expose his 'person' in a street or public place to the obstruction, annoyance or danger of residents or passengers (NB references to a 'person' mean 'penis').

An 1885 legal reform known as the Labouchere Amendment had an unforeseen loophole that suddenly made masturbation (as well as fellatio) legal.

There are several laws that cover exposure. But hold your … er … horses! A formal query made to the secretary of information at the Indonesian embassy reveals that according to Article 281 of national law, the maximum sentence is 32 months' imprisonment.

Most search results would have you believe that 'the penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is decapitation'.

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