In Canada, the law always views consent to sex from the perspective of the youngest person in the relationship. The following statements are in reference to the person who is the younger partner in a sexual relationship:
• A 14 or 15 year old can consent to sex with an older person up to 5 years older (i.e., a 14 year old with someone up to 19 years old; a 15 year old with someone up to 20 years old) as long as the older person is not in a position of trust or authority (like a teacher or a coach).
• A 16 or 17 year old can consent to sex with an older person of ANY age as long as the older person is not in a position of trust or authority.
• It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to participate in anal intercourse, although some provincial courts have said this law is unconstitutional.
• An 18 year old is a legal adult and can consent to sex with an older person of ANY age.
In the United States, the age of consent differs from state to state, but nowhere is lower than age 16. Check out the Resources section for websites that can tell you about the laws in your state.
Be careful if any of this applies to your relationship; the law cares about age, NOT the way you feel about someone and NOT whether age matters to you and your partner. Even if you believe “age ain’t nothing but a number,” this doesn’t mean the courts will agree.
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The Little Black Book For Guys: Guys Talk About Sex
Non-FictionA survival guide to being a guy. Lots of guys talk the big talk, but what's really going on with sex? That's what a group of young men sat down to figure out for The Little Black Book for Guys. To get behind the hype, they talked to other teens and...
