Statutory rape

The term "statutory rape" is sometimes used when national and/or regional governments, citing an interest in protecting minors, consider people under a certain age to be unable to give consent, and therefore consider sexual contact with them to be equivalent to rape regardless of the minor's consent.

Related Topics:
Nation - Region - Government - Rape

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The age at which individuals are considered competent to give consent is the age of consent (AOC). Age of consent is usually the age at which an individual can legally have intercourse with an adult, but in some jurisdictions the AOC establishes the minimum age of sexual conduct with anyone, regardless of age. In jurisdictions with the latter, it would be possible to charge two minor actors with a violation of the state's AOC.

Related Topics:
Age of consent - Intercourse

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Many jurisdictions have multiple age determiners for AOC, as well as a second "statutory rape age boundary." For instance, an adult engaging in sexual intercourse in a particular jurisdiction with an individual under the age of 12 may be charged with a full statutory rape charge (a charge fully equivalent in punishment and severity to rape) whereas intercourse with an individual between the ages of 13?16 may be a significantly lesser charge (such as "unlawful sexual conduct with a minor" or "criminal sexual conduct with a minor." Depending on the jurisdiction, the age difference between the participants, and other factors, criminal sanctions for violations of the age of consent which are not statutory rape may range from a minor misdemeanor to a high level felony. Some jurisdictions have a third age boundary which is an age of consent that is relevant in situations in which the adult actor is in a position of authority over the minor (e.g., the minor's teacher, doctor, coach, school principal, mental health provider, et cetera). The massive confusion caused by the various but very different sexual crime laws (which often have legal terms which are not interchangeable or parallel from jurisdiction to jurisdiction) usually leads people to assume that any violation of the age of consent is a "stautory rape" crime.

Related Topics:
Misdemeanor - Felony - Teacher - Doctor - Coach - School principal - Mental health

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Laws vary widely in their definitions of statutory rape; some states make exceptions when the older person is also young or of a similar age, or if he or she marries the minor before the act of sexual intercourse or before being charged with the offense. Due to a wide variety of opinions on what the proper age of consent should be, and conflicts between child sex protection laws and the natural exploration of teenage sexuality, statutory rape charges can sometimes be controversial and contradictory.

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