From: Rohit Khare (rohit@uci.edu)
Date: Wed May 03 2000 - 23:44:05 PDT
[There is a wealth of engaging material written up on this site, it seems.
http://www.sexpositive.com/SPIweb/essays/production_essays/ageofconsent.htm
The Sex Positive Initiative
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Age of Consent Chart
Written by: Age of Consent
SPI note: This age of consent chart is a copy of the one maintained
by Age of Consent as of the date of publication. Readers who would
like to see the most current version of the chart (it changes
regularly), definitions or information about individual jurisdictions
should visit the Age of Consent website whose address is posted at
the end of this article.
This is not an official guide. We do not guarantee the accuracy of
any of the information contained herein. Please help me keep this as
correct as possible by sending any corrections that are needed as
well as the SOURCE or site where we can verify the corrections. We
derive our information mostly from the published laws of the various
states and governments.
This table lists the age when people of various sexualities can
legally have sex right around the world. Some areas call this the age
of sexual consent; others the age of consent; and even others, the
age at which one cannot be convicted for "statutory rape" (also age
of protection and age of sexual maturity). Read the DEFINITIONS page.
Where two ages are shown it is because sexual activity is legal at
the lower age unless the younger person subsequently complains, or we
cannot confirm a codified age. In certain countries, persons below
the minimum age shown here can participate in sexual acts under
certain conditions without either them or their partners necessarily
committing a criminal offence. We suggest that you read the
accompanying notes to any particular state or country if you are
really interested.
STATE OR COUNTRY NAME LINK-HIGHLIGHTED HAS AN EXPLANATION PAGE.
AGES IN RED HAVE BEEN VERIFIED -- DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED
Country
Male-Female Sex
Male-Male Sex
Female-Female Sex
Albania
14
14
14
Andorra
16
16
16
Antiqua (Barbuda)
21
?
Argentina
12/15
21
21
Armenia
16
?
?
Aruba
16
Australia
ACT
16
16
16
Australia
NSW
16
18 *
no laws
Australia
NT
16
18
no laws
Australia
Queensland
16/18
16/18
16/18
Australia
SA
16/17
16/17
16/17
Australia
Tasmania
17
17 (legalised Apr 97 after 9 years battle)
no laws
Australia
Victoria
16
16
16
Australia
WA
16
21
16
Austria
14
18
14
Bahamas Rev 10/99
16
18 (read)
18 (read)
Bangladesh
illegal
illegal
Barbados
illegal
Belarus
16
16
16
Belgium
16/18
16/18
16/18
Belize
?
?
Brazil Rev 10/99
14/18
no laws
18
Brunei
illegal
illegal
Bulgaria
14
14/18
14/18
Burma
?
?
Cambodia (Kampuchea)
15
?
?
Canada Rev 1/2000
14
18
14
Chile
18
18
18
China
14
?
?
Colombia
14
14
14
Costa Rica Rev 1/2000
15
15- illegal - ?
15 - illegal - ?
Croatia
14
18
18
Cuba (We need Info!)
illegal
Cyprus Rev 11/99
16
18
18
Czech Republic Rev 11/99
15
15
15
Denmark
15
15
15
Dominican Republic
?
?
?
Dutch Antilles
16
Equador
?
Egypt
21
21
?
Estonia
18
18
18
Finland (new laws 1/1/99?)
16
16/18
16/18
France
15/18
15/18
15/18
Germany Rev 1/2000
14/16
14/16
14/16
Greece
15
17
15
Grenada
illegal
illegal
Guyana
illegal
illegal
Haiti
legal - age?
?
Honduras
14
?
Hong Kong
18M/16F
21
?
Hungary
14
18
18
Iceland
14
14
14
India Rev 12/99
16
?
?illegal
Indonesia
17
no laws
no laws
Iran Rev 11/99
15F/18M
illegal
illegal
Iraq
illegal
illegal
Ireland
17
17
17
Israel Rev 1/2000
16
18
16
Italy
14/16
14/16
14/16
Jamaica
illegal
illegal
Japan Rev 10/99
13
13
13
Jordan
illegal
illegal
Kenya
?
illegal
illegal
Korea
18
18
18
Kuwait
illegal
illegal
Latvia Rev 10/99
18
18
18
Lebanon
illegal
illegal
Liechtenstein
14
14/18
14
Lithuania
18?
18?
18?
Luxembourg
14/16
16
16
Malta
12/18
12/18
12/18
Malaysia
18
illegal
18?
México
18
18
18
Montenegro
14
14
14
Namibia
12/16
Nepal
?
?
Netherlands
12/16
12/16
12/16
New Zealand
16
16
16
Nicaragua
?
Nigeria Rev 1/2000
13
?
?
(intentionally left blank)
Norway Rev 10/99
16
16
16
Oman
illegal
illegal
Pakistan Rev 10/99
(read comments)
(read comments)
(read comments)
Panama
?
Paraquay
?
Peru
legal - ages?
Poland Rev 10/99
15
15
15
Portugal
12/14/16
12/14/16
12/14/16
Philippines Rev 10/99
12/18
18
18
Puerto Rico Rev 12/99
?18
Illegal
Illegal
Qatar
illegal
illegal
Romania
14/15
illegal
illegal
Russia Rev 10/99
14
14
14
San Marino
14/16
14/16
14/16
Saudi Arabia
must be married
illegal
illegal
Serbia
14
14
14
Singapore
16
?none
16
Slovakia
15
15
15
Slovenia
14/15
14/15
14/15
South Africa Rev 10/99
16
18
18
Spain Rev 11/99
12
12
12
Sri Lanka
16
illegal
illegal
Surinam
18
Sweden Rev 10/99
15
15
15
Switzerland
16
16
16
Syria
illegal
illegal
Taiwan
18
legal
legal
Thailand Rev 10/99
13/15
legal at all ages?
?
Trinidad & Tobago
21
illegal
illegal
Turkey Rev 1/2000
18
18
18
Ukraine
18?
18?
18?
United Arab Emirates
18
Illegal?
Illegal?
Uruguay
?
VenezuelaRev 10/99
16
16
16
Vietnam
?
?
Zimbabwe
12/16
United Kingdom
England, Scotland & WalesRev 12/99
16
18
no laws?
United Kingdom
Northern Ireland
17
18
18
USA
Alabama
16
illegal
illegal
USA
Alaska Rev 10/99
16
16
16
USA
Arizona Rev 11/99
18
illegal
illegal
USA
Arkansas
16
illegal
illegal
USA
California
18
18
18
USA
Colorado
Rev 1/00
17
17
17
USA
Connecticut
15/16
18?
18?
USA
D.C.
Rev 12/99
16
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Delaware Rev 12/99
16/18
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Florida
16/18
Illegal
Illegal
USA
Georgia Rev 12/99
16 ???
16
16
USA
Hawaii
14
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Idaho
16/18
Illegal
Illegal
USA
Illinois
17
17
17
USA
Indiana
16
16
16
USA
Iowa
18
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Kansas
16
illegal
illegal
USA
Kentucky
16
Law Invalidated
Law Invalidated
USA
Louisiana
17
ruling appealed
ruling appealed
USA
Maine
16
16
16
USA
Maryland
16
Law Invalidated
Law Invalidated
USA
Massachusetts
16/18
illegal
illegal
USA
Michigan
Rev 10/99
16
Illegal
Illegal
USA
Minnesota
16
Illegal
Illegal
USA
Mississippi
16 (laws passed June 1, 1998)
Illegal
Illegal
USA
Missouri
Rev 10/99
17
Illegal
Illegal
USA
Montana Rev 10/99
16/18
18
18
USA
Nebraska
17
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Nevada Rev 1/2000
16
18
18
USA
New Hampshire
16/18
18
18
USA
New Jersey
16
16
16
USA
New Mexico
17
13
13
USA
New York
17
17
17
USA
North Carolina
16
Illegal
Illegal
USA
North Dakota
18
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Ohio
16
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Oklahoma
Rev 12/99
16
16 -illegal???
16 -illegal???
USA
Oregon
18
18
18
USA
Pennsylvania
16
16
16
USA
Rhode Island
Rev 12/99
16
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
South Carolina
14/16-bill pending
Illegal
Illegal
USA
South Dakota
16
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Tennessee
18
Law Invalidated
Law Invalidated
USA
Texas
17
illegal
illegal
USA
Utah
16/18
Illegal
Illegal
USA
Vermont
16
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Virginia Rev 11/99
16/18
illegal
illegal
USA
Washington
16
16
16
USA
West Virginia
16
18?
18?
USA
Wisconsin
18
18
18
USA
Wyoming Rev 12/99
16 / 18?
Law Repealed
Law Repealed
USA
Military
Rev 10/99
16
?
?
USA
Traveling Citizens
18
Rev 11/99
A legal research site. ©1998-1999. Permission is granted to freely
copy and distribute this document in whole provided that it is not
done for profit and that this entire copyright notice remains
attached. Sodomy Laws updated with help of ACLU --
http://www.aclu.org/issues/gay/sodomy.html
Written by: Age of Consent
Contributing Website: http://www.ageofconsent.com (Age of Consent)
Date Posted: 02/16/2000
The Purpose of the Sex Positive Initiative
Written by: The Sex Positive Initiative
The Sex Positive Initiative seeks to take advantage of conditions
that exist in the world today. Free expression of human sexual ideals
and beliefs has greatly benefited from consumer access to information
about sexuality. Over the years, frank and open discussion about
sexuality has received increased coverage in the media. Additionally,
sexual rights organizations and activist movements such as GLAAD and
COYOTE, to name only a couple, have made important progress in
highlighting issues related to sexual rights and have built
coalitions to carry out political action. The single most important
development in furthering the sex positive agenda however must be the
consumer acceptance of the Internet.
Consider this example. Without the benefit of freely available
information, the fetishist believes that he or she is unique, unusual
and possibly even sick or disturbed. Imagine the elation and the
relief when a closeted fetishist discovers the world of the Internet.
Consider their celebration when they identify the many outposts on
the web designed as nothing less than tributes to the very fetishes
that have for so long (and so unnecessarily) tormented the seeker.
The world, they learn, is filled with people just like them. The
Internet allows them to find others of similar tastes, to commune
with them, to learn from them and to grow strong with them.
In a microcosm, our fetishist is really an analogy for many of the
sex positive people of the world. How many of us have felt the pangs
of fear, guilt and doubt because society, our church ministers,
politicians, teachers, parents, or our friendshave told us that our
interest in sex is wrong? How many of us have felt that same ecstatic
relief as did the fetishist when we discovered the WORLD of sex
positive people who could be touched through the Internet?
For centuries, those with power have found that taking control of
sexuality is a most effective way to maintain their strength. A
participant on the Society for Human Sexuality newsgroup provided a
quote that speaks to this very case ... "In order for a ruling class
to rule, there must be arbitrary prohibitions. Of all prohibitions,
sexual taboo is the most useful because sex involves everyone. To be
able to lock up someone or deprive him of employment because of his
sex life is a very great power indeed..." - Gore Vidal: Sexually
Speaking
It is interesting that Mr. Vidal used the quaint little word "taboo"
in his statement. One of the several definitions of taboo in
Webster's Dictionary reads "a prohibition against touching, saying or
doing something for fear of immediate harm from a mysterious
superhuman force." This definition is revealing because it indicates
that the notion of a taboo prohibits even talking about the
proscribed subject. We have learned that the more one talks about the
taboo subject, the less taboo it becomes. Thus as a destroyer of
taboos, the Internet offers us a supremely powerful tool. There is no
doubt that the Internet has done more to further the goalsof sex
positive people and organizations throughout the world than has any
other communicative medium. Many groups have expressed their
philosophies, exchanged their ideas, and joined to work toward common
goals. The Internet has been used to support potentially millions of
individual sex positive efforts. The time is right to consolidate
many of those efforts into a stronger force and this is the general
purpose of the Sex Positive Initiative. The SPI intends to accomplish
its purpose by providing a diverse community of sex positive
individuals and organizations with an umbrella framework that is
supportive of all sex positive efforts.
Communication is the key element of the SPI's strategy to achieve a
sex positive future. This website is designed to be of the people,
by the people and for the people. It is in fact a community bulletin
board for all interested parties to share important information and
points of view. The website is designed to draw in information from
individuals in the community and then re-distribute that same
information back out to the community at large. Most of the content
found within this website can be easily sent to interested parties.
Discussion forums will be used to explore a wide range of topics.
Newsletters will keep a broad community aware of new developments.
The collective knowledge of the community will grow on a daily basis
as new contributions are reflected in the structure of the site. It
is the founders' hope that the Sex Positive Initiative will become a
hub of communications and other activities in support of our dream of
a sex positive future. In the weeks and months to come, the SPI will
be introducing new facilities to allow its constituents to build
awareness, communicate and collaborate. In the meantime, please
enjoy our modest initial efforts and help us build the SPI into a
strong advocate for positive sexuality.
Copyright © 2000 The Sex Positive Initiative
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