01/05/2024
Age of Consent in the United States
The age of consent in the United States varies from 16 to 18 years old depending on the state. Sexual activity with a partner under the age of consent in that jurisdiction is considered statutory r**e. In some jurisdictions, s*xual activity between all-underaged participants can also be regarded as statutory r**e.
Thirty-one states set the age of consent as 16, eight set it as 17, and eleven set it as 18. Twenty-six states have "Romeo and Juliet" laws, or close-in-age laws, legalizing s*xual activity between underaged participants if they are close enough to one another in age. The maximum age gaps in these laws vary by state. For example, in Colorado, the age of consent is 17 years old, but those younger than 15 may consent to a partner who is less than four years older, and those aged 15 or 16 may consent to a partner who is up to 10 years older. By comparison, Arizona law sets the age of consent at 18, but allows teens aged 15-17 to consent to s*x with partners who are no more than 24 months older.
Age of Consent in Australia
In almost all of Australia's territories, including the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, the age of consent in Australia is 16 years old. However, two of Australia's territories, Tasmania and South Australia, have raised the age of consent to 17. As in many countries, the age of consent rises to 18 if the older participant happens to be in a position of care or authority (teacher, legal guardian, clergy, etc.) over the underaged participant. Several jurisdictions have close-in-age exemptions, which also vary depending upon the territory.