If the sex is consensual (and it must be enthusiastic consent) and the other party is also aged 16 years or over it is not against the law, although there are some exceptions: If the person is very drunk or under the influence of drugs, they may not have the capacity to consent so having sex with them is an offence.
What is the legal age of consent in Australian jurisdictions? The legal age for consensual sex varies between 16 and 17 years across Australian state and territory jurisdictions (see Table 2).
Generally speaking, an 18-year-old can date a 16-year-old provided that the relationship is not sexual. If the relationship becomes sexual, then it could be illegal depending on the state.
About legal age in Australia
In Australia, you're considered to be an adult when you turn 18 years old.
What is the age of consent? In Western Australia, people under 16 years old cannot legally consent to having sex, even if they said 'yes' at the time. The age of consent is 18 years old if there is a special relationship between them, where one person is in a position of power or authority over the other person.
If you are under the age of consent, the law says that you cannot legally agree to sexual activity, and any person who does something sexual with you has broken the law. In Victoria, the age of consent is 16.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) defines a child as everyone under 18 unless, "under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier".
There's no law against it. You might run into some funny looks if the 30-year-old is in a position of trust relating to the 17-year-old, but it's not a problem in that regard.
A 16-year-old dating an 18-year-old is not a big age difference. It's only 2 years apart in age and a 16-year-old isn't a child equivalent to a 5-year-old, and an 18-year-old isn't an adult equivalent to a middle-aged man. They're both developmentally adolescents in high school.
While in many circumstances it is perfectly legal for an adult to have consensual sexual contact or intercourse with a 16-year-old, there are some circumstances where it is not. Most often, it comes down to the nature of the relationship between the two individuals.
If the sex is consensual (and it must be enthusiastic consent) and the other party is also aged 16 years or over it is not against the law, although there are some exceptions: If the person is very drunk or under the influence of drugs, they may not have the capacity to consent so having sex with them is an offence.
"Half-your-age-plus-seven" rule
An often-asserted rule of thumb to determine whether an age difference is socially acceptable holds that a person should never date someone whose age is less than half their own plus seven years.
change their name without their parent's consent. buy alcohol, tobacco and cigarettes. get married without their parent's permission. vote in elections and stand for Parliament.
The lowest age of consent is in Nigeria (11) followed by the Philippines and Angola (12). The age of consent is 13 in three countries – Niger, Comoros and Burkina Faso.
The highest state age of consent in the United States is 18. Federal law makes it criminal to engage in a sexual act with another person who is between the age of 12 and 16 if they are at least four years younger than you.
Of course it's okay. If both of you want to date and I assume you both do or the question wouldn't come, that is the only important thing. While dating, you may find the differences in maturity a problem or you may not. You may find being of different generations (almost) a problem or you may not.
Romeo and Juliette laws
In most Australian states, provisions exist whereby it is a defence to a child sex offence if the participants were teenagers of a similar age in a consensual relationship.
Is it illegal to date a minor in Texas? While it is not against the law for an adult to DATE a minor in Texas, it is illegal to have sex with someone who is 14 to 17-years-old if you are more than 3 years older then them, even if the sex is consensual. Breaking this law is considered statutory rape.
A 16-year-old knows that adulthood is not far away, so they will start to show more independence and engage in less conflict with their parents. They also will begin making decisions with that independence in mind. However, their choices may not always feel like the right ones to their parents.
Can you have a healthy baby as a teenager? Yes, you can. However, it's really important for you to get proper medical care all the way through your pregnancy. Since your body is still developing, seeing a doctor regularly is especially crucial when you're expecting a baby.
Being pregnant as a teenager puts you at higher risk for having a baby born too early, with a low birth weight and, tragically, higher risk of death.
Once you turn 16, you won't normally be forced to return home by the authorities as long as you've got a safe place to go and you can financially support yourself. If you're under 18 and leave home, the police and Child Safety may investigate the reasons why you left home.
There is no law about what age you can leave home, but your parents generally have to look after you until you're 18.
Schools. A child is considered to be of compulsory school age from 6 years and 6 months until they turn 16, or they complete Year 10 (whichever comes first).