
Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is unable to legally claim that the sexual activity was consensual, and such sexual activity may be considered child sexual abuse or statutory rape. The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts.


Australia, Mexico and the United States are federal states where the age of consent varies from federative unit to federative unit. Not to be confused with Marriageable age.Īge of consent for heterosexual sex in various countries. For other uses, see Age of consent (disambiguation).