How does the age of consent vary around the world?

The age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is legally deemed capable of consenting to sexual activity. Across different jurisdictions and countries, these limits vary significantly, often featuring exceptions for partners of similar ages or special rules regarding positions of authority. Different states and federal entities within the same country can also establish conflicting or separate legal thresholds.

What we know

• The age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is legally competent to consent to sexual acts. [2]
• In Europe, unrestricted ages of consent generally range from 14 to 18, with most countries setting limits between 14 and 16. [3]
• Mexican states set minimum ages of consent between 12 and 15, while the federal government sets an age of 18. [4]
• In the United States, individual states and territories establish their own ages of consent ranging between 16 and 18. [5]

Where to go next

• compared withWhat are the age of consent laws in Europe?
• a case in pointHow do Mexican states regulate the age of consent?
• whereHow do United States jurisdictions set age of consent laws?
• how it workedHow do close-in-age exceptions function in legal codes?
• the bigger pictureWhat legal protections exist against statutory rape?
• an unexpected connectionHow can civil and criminal laws within the same state conflict regarding age thresholds?Even within a single country or state, different branches of law can establish contradictory standards for legal consent.

Sources

• [1]list of countries by age of consent (Wikidata Q81602237) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Age of consent by country · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Age of consent in Europe · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Age of consent in Mexico · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Age of consent in the United States · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. What is the age of consent across Europe?
2. /Where did Donald Trump grow up and go to school?
3. /How does the age of consent vary around the world?