Why do age of consent laws exist? Age of consent laws are designed to protect children and young people from sexual exploitation and abuse from adults and older young people.
The decision to raise the age of consent to 16 in 1885, with higher penalties for offences against girls under the age of 13, resulted from the combination of a child protection agenda and a perceived need to control juvenile sexualities.
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.
Age of consent laws protect children and young people from abuse or exploitation by adults or older young people. They also enable their safe participation in sexual activity, when they are ready.
AT 16. you can get Youth Allowance (if certain conditions are met) you can have sex with another person (including same sex) who is also 16 or older, if they agree, without breaking the law. you can get a learner driver permit. you can enrol to vote but will not be able to vote until you turn 18.
For many American youths, 16 is probably the most important birthday they'll celebrate before they reach legal adulthood. At 16, a young person can get a driver's license and a job—and, more importantly, they can enjoy the freedom and be expected to cope with the responsibilities that come with both.
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's parliament on Friday raised the age of sexual consent to 16 from 13, a limit which had remained unchanged for more than a century and was among the world's lowest, amid calls for greater protection of children and women.
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.
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).
Key aspects. All Member States establish a minimum age for sexual consent. Most Member States set this between 14 and 16 years. The lowest minimum age is 14 years, set in seven Member States: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Portugal.
It is an offence in the Australian Capital Territory to have sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16. However, it is a defence if the younger party was aged 10 years or older and the offender was not more than 2 years older than the younger party.
This is exactly two years. For example, if a person is 17 and has sex with someone who is 15, it is not a crime. But if the person was 18, it is a crime unless the person believed the person was 16 or older. For more information about what is considered a sexual act, see Sexual assault.
The age of consent is also 14 in Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, Mauritius, Malawi, and Chad. The age of consent is slightly higher at 15 in France, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Czech Republic, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, and Slovenia, as well as in Thailand, North Korea, Cambodia, Costa Rica, and Uruguay.
In many countries, including Australia, Serbia, India, Brazil, Croatia, Colombia, and the UK a minor is defined as a person under the age of 18.
United Kingdom
Age of consent for marriage (sexual intercourse) was set at 12 years old for maidens (girls) and 14 years old for youths (boys), under English common law. Age of majority was set at 21 years old, adolescent males and adolescent females needed parental consent to marry.
In society at that time, 13 was regarded as a reasonable age of consent. In addition, the legal marriageable age was 15 back then. Therefore, the age of 13, which is two years younger than 15, was considered sensible. This explains why the age of consent is 13 in Japan.
Japan also raised the legal age of consent, so that sexual intercourse with someone under 16 is now considered rape. For a long time, the country had one of the lowest age of consent among developed countries.
The current rules for age of consent in Germany were set following a post-reunification penal law reform in 1994. The ages of 14 and 16 had been relevant since the Criminal Code for the German Empire came into force in 1872: Under § 176, sexual acts with children under 14 were illegal and have been always since.
It is a crime to have sex with someone under the age of 15. This also applies if the child is reported to be married. Anyone who has sexual intercourse or performs other sexual acts with a child under the age of 15 is guilty of rape of a child.
About legal age in Australia
As your child grows up and becomes more independent, you might be wondering how old they need to be before they can do certain things. In Australia, you're considered to be an adult when you turn 18 years old.
There is no law about what age you can leave home, but your parents generally have to look after you until you're 18.
There is no set age at which a child can choose who they live with, or choose when (or whether) they see the other parent. A child is legally a minor until he/she turns 18.