Age of consent |
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Age of consent by country |
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The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts and is thus the minimum age of a person with whom another person is legally permitted to engage in sexual activity. The distinguishing aspect of the age of consent laws is that the person below the minimum age is regarded as the victim, and their sex partner is regarded as the offender, unless both are underage.
Different jurisdictions express these definitions differently, like Germany, may say the age of consent is 18, but an exception is made down to 6 years of age, if the older partner is not in a position of authority over the younger one. The data below reflects what each jurisdiction's legislation actually means, rather than what it states on the surface.
Countries and states | Must be married | Restricted by age difference | Restricted by authority | Unrestricted | Ref. | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | |||||||||
M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | |||
Australian Capital Territory | No | 5 | 16 | 18 | [2] [3] | |||||||||
New South Wales | No | 14 | 16 | 17 | [4] [5] [6] | |||||||||
Queensland | No | — | — | 16 | [7] | |||||||||
Victoria | No | 12 | 16 | 18 | [8] [9] [10] | |||||||||
South Australia | No | 16 | 17 | 18 | [11] [12] | |||||||||
Northern Territory | No | — | 16 | 18 | [13] | |||||||||
Tasmania | No | 12 | 17 | 18 | [14] [15] | |||||||||
Western Australia | No | 13 | 16 | 18 | [16] |
Countries and states | Must be married | Restricted by age difference | Restricted by authority | Unrestricted | Ref. | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | |||||||||
M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | |||
Aguascalientes | No | 12 | — | 16 | 120 118 | |||||||||
Baja California | No | 14 | — | 18 | 177, 182 | |||||||||
Baja California Sur | No | 12 | — | 18 | 286 290 | |||||||||
Campeche | No | 12 | — | 18 | 162 164 | |||||||||
Chiapas | No | 12 | — | 18 | 235 239 | |||||||||
Chihuahua | No | 14 | — | 18 | 172 177 | |||||||||
Coahuila | No | 12 | — | 16 | 229 235 | |||||||||
Colima | No | 14 | — | 18 | 146 148 | |||||||||
Mexican Federal District | No | 12 | — | 18 | 181 bis 180 | |||||||||
Durango | No | 14 | — | 18 | 177 181 | |||||||||
Guanajuato | No | 12 | — | 16 | 181 185 | |||||||||
Guerrero | No | 12 | — | 18 | 179 187 | |||||||||
Hidalgo | No | 12 | — | 18 | 180, 185 | |||||||||
Jalisco | No | 12 | — | 18 | 142-L, 142-M | |||||||||
México (state) | No | 15 | — | 18 | 273 271 | |||||||||
Michoacán | No | 12 | — | 16 | 240 170 | |||||||||
Morelos | No | 12 | — | 18 | 154 159 | |||||||||
Nayarit | No | Puberty | — | 18 | 289, 291 | |||||||||
Nuevo León | No | 14 | — | 18 | 267 262 | |||||||||
Oaxaca | No | 12 | — | 18 | 247, 243 | |||||||||
Puebla | No | 12 | — | 18 | 272 264, 265 | |||||||||
Querétaro | No | 12 | — | 18 | 161 167 | |||||||||
Quintana Roo | No | 12 | — | 18 | 127 130 | |||||||||
San Luis Potosí | No | 12 | — | 16 | 173 179 | |||||||||
Sinaloa | No | 12 | — | 18 | 180 184 | |||||||||
Sonora | No | 12 | — | 18 | 219 215 | |||||||||
Tabasco | No | 12 | — | 17 | 150 153 | |||||||||
Tamaulipas | No | 12 | — | 18 | 275 270 | |||||||||
Tlaxcala | No | 14 | — | 18 | 289 291 | |||||||||
Veracruz | No | 14 | — | 16 | 190 Quater 189 | |||||||||
Yucatán | No | 13 | — | 16 | 315 311 | |||||||||
Zacatecas | No | 13 | — | 18 | 237.1 237.4 |
Countries and states | Region | Must be married | Restricted by age difference | Restricted by authority | Unrestricted | Ref. | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | ||||||||||
M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | ||||
China | Asia | No | 14 | — | 16 | [120] [121] [122] | |||||||||
Japan | Asia | No | 16 | 16 | 18 | [123] [124] | |||||||||
Germany | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [125] [126] [127] | |||||||||
United Kingdom | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [128] [129] [127] | |||||||||
France | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [130] [127] | |||||||||
India | Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [131] [132] [133] [134] | |||||||||
Italy | Europe | No | 13 | 14 | 16 | [135] [127] | |||||||||
Brazil | South America | No | — | — | 14 | [136] | |||||||||
Canada | North America | No | 12-16 | 16 | 18 | [137] [138] [139] | |||||||||
South Korea | Asia | No | 13 | 16 | 16 | [140] [141] | |||||||||
Russia | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [142] [143] [127] | |||||||||
Spain | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [144] [145] [127] | |||||||||
Indonesia | Asia | No | — | 15 | — | 18 | [146] | ||||||||
Netherlands | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [147] [148] [127] | |||||||||
Turkey | Europe | No | — | — | 18 | [149] [127] | |||||||||
Switzerland | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [150] [151] [152] [127] | |||||||||
Saudi Arabia | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [153] [154] | ||||||||
Sweden | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [155] | |||||||||
Nigeria | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [156] | ||||||||
Poland | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [157] [158] [127] | |||||||||
Argentina | South America | No | — | 13 | 18 | [159] | |||||||||
Belgium | Europe | No | 14 | 16 | 18 | [160] [161] [127] [162] | |||||||||
Venezuela | South America | No | — | — | 16 | [163] | |||||||||
Norway | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [164] [127] | |||||||||
Austria | Europe | No | 13 | 14 | 18 | [165] [166] [167] [127] | |||||||||
Iran | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | 15 | — | [168] [169] [170] [171] [172] | |||||||
Thailand | Asia | No | 15 | — | 18 | [173] [174] | |||||||||
United Arab Emirates | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [175] | ||||||||
Colombia | South America | No | — | — | 14 | [176] [177] | |||||||||
South Africa | Africa | No | 12 | — | 16 | [178] [179] | |||||||||
Denmark | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [180] [127] | |||||||||
Malaysia | Asia | No | — | 16 | — | 18 | — | [181] [182] | |||||||
Singapore | Asia | No | — | 16 | 18 | [183] | |||||||||
Israel | Asia | No | 14 | — | 16 | ||||||||||
Philippines | Asia | No | — | 16 | 18 | [184] [185] [186] [187] | |||||||||
Egypt | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [188] [189] | ||||||||
Hong Kong | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | 21 | 16 | [190] [191] [192] [193] [194] [195] | |||||||
Finland | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [196] [127] | |||||||||
Chile | South America | No | — | 14 | 18 | [197] | |||||||||
Pakistan | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [198] [199] | ||||||||
Ireland | Europe | No | — | — | 17 | [200] [201] [202] [203] [204] | |||||||||
Greece | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [205] [127] | |||||||||
Portugal | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [206] [127] | |||||||||
Iraq | Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [207] [208] [209] | |||||||||
Kazakhstan | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [210] | |||||||||
Algeria | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [211] [212] | ||||||||
Qatar | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | 16 | — | [213] | |||||||
Czech Republic | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [214] [215] [127] | |||||||||
Peru | South America | No | — | 14 | 18 | [216] [217] [218] [219] | |||||||||
Romania | Europe | No | 14 | 16 | 18 | [220] [127] | |||||||||
New Zealand | Oceania | No | — | — | 16 | [221] [222] | |||||||||
Vietnam | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [223] | |||||||||
Bangladesh | Asia | No | — | — | 21 | 18 | — | [224] | |||||||
Kuwait | Asia | Yes | — | — | 17 | 15 | — | [225] [226] | |||||||
Angola | Africa | No | 14 | — | 16 | [227] | |||||||||
Hungary | Europe | No | 12 | 14 | 18 | [228] [127] | |||||||||
Ukraine | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [229] [230] [127] | |||||||||
Morocco | Africa | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [231] [232] [233] | ||||||||
Ecuador | South America | No | — | — | 14 | [234] | |||||||||
Slovakia | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [235] [127] | |||||||||
Cuba | Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [236] | |||||||||
Sudan | Africa | Yes | — | — | 13 | 12 | — | [237] | |||||||
Oman | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [238] | ||||||||
Belarus | Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [239] | |||||||||
Azerbaijan | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [240] | |||||||||
Sri Lanka | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [241] [242] | |||||||||
Myanmar | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [243] [244] | |||||||||
Luxembourg | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [245] [127] | |||||||||
Dominican Republic | Insular America | No | — | — | 18 | [246] | |||||||||
Uzbekistan | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | — | 16 | [247] [248] [249] | |||||||
Kenya | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [250] | ||||||||
Guatemala | Central America | No | — | — | 18 | [251] | |||||||||
Uruguay | South America | No | 12 | 15 | 18 | [252] | |||||||||
Croatia | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [253] [127] | |||||||||
Bulgaria | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [254] [127] | |||||||||
Macau | Asia | No | — | — | 14 | [255] | |||||||||
Ethiopia | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [256] [257] | ||||||||
Lebanon | Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [258] | |||||||||
Costa Rica | Central America | No | — | 15 | 18 | [259] | |||||||||
Slovenia | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [260] [127] | |||||||||
Panama | Central America | No | — | 14 | 18 | [261] | |||||||||
Lithuania | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [262] [263] [127] | |||||||||
Tanzania | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [264] | ||||||||
Turkmenistan | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [265] | |||||||||
Tunisia | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [266] [267] | ||||||||
Serbia | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [268] [127] | |||||||||
Libya | Africa | Yes | — | — | 18 | 16 | — | [269] | |||||||
Ghana | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [270] | |||||||||
Yemen | Asia | Yes | — | — | — | [271] [272] [273] [274] [275] [276] | |||||||||
DR Congo | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [277] | |||||||||
Jordan | Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [278] | |||||||||
Ivory Coast | Africa | No | 15 | — | — | 18 | — | [279] | |||||||
Bahrain | Asia | No | 16 (married) | — | 21 (unmarried) | [280] [281] | |||||||||
Bolivia | South America | No | 14 | — | 18 | [282] [283] [284] [285] [286] | |||||||||
Cameroon | Africa | No | 16 | — | — | 21 | — | [287] | |||||||
Latvia | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [288] [289] [127] | |||||||||
Paraguay | South America | No | — | — | 14 | 16 | [290] | ||||||||
Trinidad and Tobago | Insular America | No | — | 12 | 18 | [291] [292] | |||||||||
Uganda | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [293] [294] | |||||||||
Zambia | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [295] | |||||||||
Estonia | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [296] [127] | |||||||||
El Salvador | Central America | No | — | 15 | 18 | [297] [298] | |||||||||
Cyprus | Europe | No | — | 17 | 18 | [299] [300] [127] | |||||||||
Afghanistan | Asia | Yes | — | — | Puberty | — | [301] | ||||||||
Honduras | Central America | No | — | 14–17 | 18 | [302] | |||||||||
Nepal | Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [303] | |||||||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [304] [127] | |||||||||
Gabon | Africa | No | 15 | — | — | 18 | 21 | [305] | |||||||
North Korea | Asia | No | — | — | 15 | [306] | |||||||||
Brunei | Asia | Yes | — | — | 16 | — | [307] [308] | ||||||||
Mozambique | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [309] | |||||||||
Iceland | Europe | No | 14 | 15 | 18 | [310] [311] [127] | |||||||||
Cambodia | Asia | No | — | — | 15 | [312] [313] [314] [315] [316] | |||||||||
Equatorial Guinea | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [317] | |||||||||
Papua New Guinea | Oceania | No | 12 | 14 | — | — | 16 | 17 | — | [318] | |||||
Georgia | Asia | No | — | 16 | 18 | [319] [127] | |||||||||
Botswana | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [320] | |||||||||
Senegal | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [321] | ||||||||
Zimbabwe | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [322] | ||||||||
Congo | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [323] | ||||||||
Jamaica | Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [324] | |||||||||
Namibia | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | 16 | [325] | |||||||
Albania | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [326] [127] | |||||||||
Chad | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [327] | ||||||||
Burkina Faso | Africa | No | 15 | — | — | 18 | [328] | ||||||||
Mauritius | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [329] | |||||||||
Mongolia | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [330] | |||||||||
Mali | Africa | No | — | — | 15 | [331] | |||||||||
Nicaragua | Central America | No | — | 16 | 18 | [332] | |||||||||
Laos | Asia | No | — | — | 15 | [333] [334] | |||||||||
North Macedonia | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [335] [127] | |||||||||
South Sudan | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [336] [337] [338] | |||||||||
Armenia | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [254] | |||||||||
Madagascar | Africa | No | — | — | 14 | 21 | [339] | ||||||||
Malta | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [340] [341] [342] [343] [127] | |||||||||
Benin | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | 21 | [344] | ||||||||
Tajikistan | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [345] | |||||||||
Haiti | Insular America | No | — | — | 18 | [346] | |||||||||
Bahamas | Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | 18 | [347] | ||||||||
Niger | Africa | No | — | — | 13 | 21 | [348] | ||||||||
Moldova | Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [254] [127] | |||||||||
Rwanda | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [189] | |||||||||
Kyrgyzstan | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [349] | |||||||||
Kosovo | Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [350] | |||||||||
Monaco | Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [351] [127] | |||||||||
Guinea | Africa | No | — | — | 15 | [352] | |||||||||
Liechtenstein | Europe | No | 12 | 14 | 18 | [353] [127] | |||||||||
Malawi | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [354] | |||||||||
Bermuda | Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [355] | |||||||||
Suriname | South America | No | — | — | 16 | [356] | |||||||||
Mauritania | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [357] | ||||||||
East Timor | Asia | No | — | — | 14 | [358] | |||||||||
Sierra Leone | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [359] | |||||||||
Montenegro | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [360] [127] | |||||||||
Togo | Africa | No | — | — | 15 | [361] | |||||||||
Fiji | Oceania | No | — | — | 16 | ||||||||||
Eswatini | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [362] | ||||||||
Barbados | Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [363] | |||||||||
Eritrea | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [364] | |||||||||
Andorra | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [365] [127] | |||||||||
Curaçao | South America | No | — | — | 15 | [366] | |||||||||
Guyana | South America | No | — | — | 16 | [367] [368] [369] | |||||||||
Maldives | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | |||||||||
Burundi | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [370] [371] | ||||||||
Aruba | South America | No | — | — | 15 | [372] | |||||||||
Liberia | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [373] [374] [375] | ||||||||
Lesotho | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [376] | |||||||||
Bhutan | Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [377] | |||||||||
Cape Verde | Africa | No | 14 | — | 16 | [378] | |||||||||
San Marino | Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [379] [380] [127] | |||||||||
Central African Republic | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [381] | |||||||||
Belize | Central America | No | — | — | 16 | [382] [383] | |||||||||
Djibouti | Africa | No | 15 | — | — | 18 | — | [384] [357] | |||||||
Seychelles | Africa | No | — | — | 15 | [385] | |||||||||
Saint Lucia | South America | No | — | — | 16 | [386] | |||||||||
Somalia | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [387] [388] | ||||||||
Antigua and Barbuda | South America | No | — | — | 16 | [389] | |||||||||
Guinea-Bissau | Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [390] | |||||||||
Gambia | Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [391] | |||||||||
Samoa | Oceania | No | — | — | 16 | [392] | |||||||||
Vanuatu | Oceania | No | — | 15 | 18 | [393] [394] | |||||||||
Comoros | Africa | No | — | — | 15 | — | [395] | ||||||||
Dominica | South America | No | — | — | 16 | — | [396] [397] | ||||||||
São Tomé and Príncipe | Africa | No | — | 14 | — | 16 | [398] | ||||||||
Kiribati | Oceania | No | — | — | 15 | 18 | — | [399] | |||||||
Tuvalu | Oceania | No | — | 15 | 18 | [400] | |||||||||
Syria | Asia | No | — | — | 15 | [401] | |||||||||
Taiwan | Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [402] | |||||||||
Vatican City | Europe | No | — | — | 18 | [403] [404] [405] | |||||||||
Gaza Strip | Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | 18 | — | [406] | |||||||
West Bank | Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [407] | |||||||||
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | Africa | No | — | — | 13 | [408] |
The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is unable to legally claim that the sexual activity was consensual, and such sexual activity may be considered child sexual abuse or statutory rape. The person below the minimum age is considered the victim, and their sex partner the offender, although some jurisdictions provide exceptions through "Romeo and Juliet laws" if one or both participants are underage and are close in age.
Sex and the law deals with the regulation by law of human sexual activity. Sex laws vary from one place or jurisdiction to another, and have varied over time. Unlawful sexual acts are called sex crimes.
The United States has inherited sodomy laws which constitutionally outlawed a variety of sexual acts that are deemed to be illegal, illicit, unlawful, unnatural and/or immoral from the colonial-era based laws in the 17th century. While they often targeted sexual acts between persons of the same sex, many sodomy-related statutes employed definitions broad enough to outlaw certain sexual acts between persons of different sexes, in some cases even including acts between married persons.
The legal age of consent for sexual activity varies by jurisdiction across Asia. The specific activity engaged in or the gender of participants can also be relevant factors. Below is a discussion of the various laws dealing with this subject. The highlighted age refers to an age at or above which an individual can engage in unfettered sexual relations with another who is also at or above that age. Other variables, such as homosexual relations or close in age exceptions, may exist, and are noted when relevant.
The ages of consent for sexual activity vary from age 15 to 18 across Australia, New Zealand and other parts of Oceania. The specific activity and the gender of its participants is also addressed by the law. The minimum age is the age at or above which an individual can engage in unfettered sexual relations with another person of minimum age. Close in age exceptions may exist and are noted where applicable. In Vanuatu the homosexual age of consent is set higher at 18, while the heterosexual age of consent is 15. Same sex sexual activity is illegal at any age for males in Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Samoa, Niue, Tonga and Tuvalu; it is outlawed for both men and women in the Solomon Islands. In all other places the age of consent is independent of sexual orientation or gender.
The age of consent for sex outside of marriage varies by jurisdiction across Europe. The age of consent – hereby meaning the age from which one is deemed able to consent to having sex with anyone else of consenting age or above – varies between 14 and 18. The majority of countries set their ages in the range of 14 to 16; only four countries, Cyprus (17), Ireland (17), Turkey (18), and the Vatican City (18), set an age of consent higher than 16.
In North America, the legal age of consent relating to sexual activity outside of marriage varies by jurisdiction.
The age of consent in Africa for sexual activity varies by jurisdiction across the continent, codified in laws which may also stipulate the specific activities that are permitted or the gender of participants for different ages. Other variables may exist, such as close-in-age exemptions.
Rape is a type of sexual assault initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, under threat or manipulation, by impersonation, or with a person who is incapable of giving valid consent.
The age of consent for sexual activity refers to an age at or above which an individual can engage in unfettered sexual relations with another who is of the same age or older. This age varies by jurisdiction across South America, codified in laws which may also stipulate the specific activities that are permitted or the gender of participants for different ages. Other variables may exist, such as close-in-age exemptions.
Laws regarding incest vary considerably between jurisdictions, and depend on the type of sexual activity and the nature of the family relationship of the parties involved, as well as the age and sex of the parties. Besides legal prohibitions, at least some forms of incest are also socially taboo or frowned upon in most cultures around the world.
Laws against child sexual abuse vary by country based on the local definition of who a child is and what constitutes child sexual abuse. Most countries in the world employ some form of age of consent, with sexual contact with an underage person being criminally penalized. As the age of consent to sexual behaviour varies from country to country, so too do definitions of child sexual abuse. An adult's sexual intercourse with a minor below the legal age of consent may sometimes be referred to as statutory rape, based on the principle that any apparent consent by a minor could not be considered legal consent.
In common law jurisdictions, statutory rape is nonforcible sexual activity in which one of the individuals is below the age of consent. Although it usually refers to adults engaging in sexual contact with minors under the age of consent, it is a generic term, and very few jurisdictions use the actual term statutory rape in the language of statutes. In statutory rape, overt force or threat is usually not present. Statutory rape laws presume coercion because a minor or mentally disabled adult is legally incapable of giving consent to the act.
A sodomy law is a law that defines certain sexual acts as crimes. The precise sexual acts meant by the term sodomy are rarely spelled out in the law, but are typically understood and defined by many courts and jurisdictions to include any or all forms of sexual acts that are illegal, illicit, unlawful, unnatural and immoral. Sodomy typically includes anal sex, oral sex, manual sex, and bestiality. In practice, sodomy laws have rarely been enforced to target against sexual activities between individuals of the opposite sex, and have mostly been used to target against sexual activities between individuals of the same sex.
In the United States, each state and territory sets the age of consent either by statute or the common law applies, and there are several federal statutes related to protecting minors from sexual predators. Depending on the jurisdiction, the legal age of consent is between 16 and 18. In some places, civil and criminal laws within the same state conflict with each other.
Rape is the fourth most common crime against women in India. According to the 2021 annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 31,677 rape cases were registered across the country, or an average of 86 cases daily, a rise from 2020 with 28,046 cases, while in 2019, 32,033 cases were registered. Of the total 31,677 rape cases, 28,147 of the rapes were committed by persons known to the victim. The share of victims who were minors or below 18 – the legal age of consent – stood at 10%.
Marital rape is illegal in all 50 US states, though the details of the offence vary by state.
Laws regarding incest in the United States vary widely between jurisdictions regarding both the definition of the offense and penalties for its commission
Sexual consent plays an important role in laws regarding rape, sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence. In a court of law, whether or not the alleged victim had freely given consent, and whether or not they were deemed to be capable of giving consent, can determine whether the alleged perpetrator is guilty of rape, sexual assault or some other form of sexual misconduct.
Each Mexican state sets the minimum age of consent for sex outside marriage by statute. These vary between 12 and 15. The federal government sets an age of 18, and there are statutory rape (estupro) laws that prohibit deception and often seduction in order to have sex with a minor over the minimum age of consent. For example, Sinaloa sets the minimum age at 12, but presumes that any sex between an adult and a minor under 16 is statutory rape; sex with a minor over 16 is also prosecutable, though usually only at the request of the minor or their legal guardians.
Pennsylvania law sets the age of consent for sex at 16, although prosecutors in some counties have brought child endangerment and corruption-of-minors charges against teachers who have had relationships with 16- and 17-year-old students.
76-5-401.2 Unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old
[Signatory] to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, which criminalises "engaging in sexual activities with a child where… abuse is made of a recognised position of trust, authority or influence over the child" (Ch Vi, Art 18), where "child" is defined as "any person under the age of 18 years" (Ch I, Art 3)
Minimum age is 14 with a maximum difference in age of 2 years
While the age of consent in South Sudan is 18,...
The legal age of consent in South Sudan in [sic] 18...
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