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Age of consent
What’s legal and what’s not?
It is against the law for a man to have sex with a girl under 16 even with her consent.
It is against the law for a woman to have sex with a boy under 16 even with his consent.
A girl or woman cannot be prosecuted for having unlawful sex at any age but if she does so with a boy under 16 she can be prosecuted for indecent assault. Under14 and she can be charged with gross indecency.
A lesbian relationship is not illegal but if one partner is under 16 the older may be prosecuted for indecent assault.
A boy over ten can be prosecuted for unlawful sexual intercourse if the girl is under 16. If he is over 17 and convicted he can be fined or detained for up to two years.
A homosexual relationship is only legal when both parties are over 16 and have consented. If one party is under 16 the older one will be prosecuted.
.... and there's more
Here are a few things you might want to think about:
Disclaimer, Target Audience, Jurisdiction Last updated & checked: 22/03/2006