Difference between revisions of "Age of consent"
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When an adult has sexual intercourse with a minor, this is considered [[statutory rape]] because the child is not old enough to make such a weighty decision as to enter into a sexual relationship. The age of consent for this decision varies. | When an adult has sexual intercourse with a minor, this is considered [[statutory rape]] because the child is not old enough to make such a weighty decision as to enter into a sexual relationship. The age of consent for this decision varies. | ||
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| + | ==Historically== | ||
| + | Historically, the age of consent was the age of Mitvah. 13 for males, Bar Mitzvah. 12 for girls, Bat Mitzvah. The Bible and Koran say nothing about age of consent. In fact, "From the age at which Hebrew maidens became marriageable, it is possible that Mary gave birth to her Son when she was about thirteen or fourteen years of age. No historical document tells us how old she actually was at the time of the Nativity. " -- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15464b.htm (Catholic Encyclopedia) | ||
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| + | 200 years ago in The United States, the age of consent was 10 years old and it was common for girls in farming communities to mary at that age. It was only recently that it was raised to 18. | ||
==Age of consent in law== | ==Age of consent in law== | ||
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*The ''age of criminal responsibility'' is the age at which a person is deemed to be fully responsible for their criminal actions. | *The ''age of criminal responsibility'' is the age at which a person is deemed to be fully responsible for their criminal actions. | ||
*The ''age of majority'' is the age at which a person is deemed to have the rights and responsibilities of an adult and the age at which parental rights and responsibilities cease. | *The ''age of majority'' is the age at which a person is deemed to have the rights and responsibilities of an adult and the age at which parental rights and responsibilities cease. | ||
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==American States/Territories and their Corresponding Age of Consent== | ==American States/Territories and their Corresponding Age of Consent== | ||
Worldwide, the average age of consent is 16.<ref>http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm</ref> | Worldwide, the average age of consent is 16.<ref>http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm</ref> | ||
Revision as of 19:48, June 23, 2008
The age of consent is a legal and moral principle. It presupposes that children and adolescents are not psychologically or morally capable of making free choices.
Not being competent to make moral choices absolves minors from (adult) guilt if they commit certain crimes. Either their parents will be held responsible, as in case of theft or vandalism, or the child will simply be considered "too young to know better".
Children typically cannot enter into binding contracts, are not permitted to drive cars on public roads, join the armed forces or get married. In the United States of America, however, a parent may permit their 17-year-old child to join the armed forces. Various states in the U.S. differ as to what age a minor must be before their parents can permit them to marry.
When an adult has sexual intercourse with a minor, this is considered statutory rape because the child is not old enough to make such a weighty decision as to enter into a sexual relationship. The age of consent for this decision varies.
Historically
Historically, the age of consent was the age of Mitvah. 13 for males, Bar Mitzvah. 12 for girls, Bat Mitzvah. The Bible and Koran say nothing about age of consent. In fact, "From the age at which Hebrew maidens became marriageable, it is possible that Mary gave birth to her Son when she was about thirteen or fourteen years of age. No historical document tells us how old she actually was at the time of the Nativity. " -- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15464b.htm (Catholic Encyclopedia)
200 years ago in The United States, the age of consent was 10 years old and it was common for girls in farming communities to mary at that age. It was only recently that it was raised to 18.
Age of consent in law
In law the age of consent is the age at which a person is deemed to be competent to give consent to an activity, such as sexual intercourse or medical treatment, which would be otherwise be unlawful without informed consent.
The age of consent is one of several legal principles that govern the rights and responsibilities of minors in common law systems, such as:
- The age of license is the minimum age that a person must obtain to be permitted to undertake an activity, such as driving a motor vehicle on public roads.
- The age of criminal responsibility is the age at which a person is deemed to be fully responsible for their criminal actions.
- The age of majority is the age at which a person is deemed to have the rights and responsibilities of an adult and the age at which parental rights and responsibilities cease.
American States/Territories and their Corresponding Age of Consent
Worldwide, the average age of consent is 16.[1]
| Alabama | 16 | Illinois | 17 | Montana | 16 | Puerto Rico | ?? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 16 | Indiana | 14 | Nebraska | 17 | Rhode Island | 16 |
| Arizona | 18 | Iowa | 14 | Nevada | 16 | South Carolina | 14 |
| Arkansas | 16 | Kansas | 16 | New Hampshire | 16 | South Dakota | 16 |
| California | 18 | Kentucky | 16 | New Jersey | 16 | Tennessee | 18 |
| Colorado | 14 | Louisiana | 17 | New Mexico | 17 | Texas | 17 |
| Connecticut | 16 | Maine | 16 | New York | 17 | Utah | 16 |
| D.C. | 16 | Maryland | 16 | North Carolina | 16 | Vermont | 16 |
| Delaware | 14 | Massachusetts | 16 | North Dakota | 18 | Virginia | 18 |
| Florida | 14 | Michigan | 16 | Ohio | 16 | Washington | 16 |
| Georgia | 16 | Minnesota | 16 | Oklahoma | 16 | West Virginia | 16 |
| Hawaii | 16 | Mississippi | 16 | Oregon | 18 | Wisconsin | 18 |
| Idaho | 14 | Missouri | 14 | Pennsylvania | 16 | Wyoming | 16 |
Ages of consent for sex
The age of consent for sex is the age at which an unmarried person is legally competent to submit to sexual intercourse. The median age for this in most countries seems to be 16 to 18, however ages ranging from 12 to 21 do exist. Some countries do not have age of consent laws but instead ban sex outside of marriage completely. To have sexual relations with someone below the age of consent is a crime (called statutory rape in some jurisdictions) because someone below the requisite age is considered, by law, incapable of consenting to the sexual act.
Age chart for selected Western countries [1]
| France | 16 | |
| United Kingdom | England | 16 |
| Wales | 16 | |
| Scotland | 16 | |
| Northern Ireland | 17 | |
| USA | Indiana | 16 |
| Texas | 17 | |
| Wisconsin | 18 | |