Age of Consent

do you know what the age of consent is?

Do you care?

Is it different if you are gay or straight, is it the same worldwide or does it change per country?

Do you think it should be raised?

Age of consent is the age that you're allowed to have sex. So if you're thinking about doing it, you'd better check out the laws and guidelines here first.

• You have to be 16 or older to have homosexual (gay) or heterosexual (straight) sex.

• 'Sex' means penetrative sex, oral sex or masturbating together

Break the law and you could go to prison. Underage sex is a crime. The law sees it as sexual assault, you could go to

• to prison for two years.

• be sentenced to life imprisonment.

• prosecuted for indecent assault.

Not so funny now is it .....

Further reading for kids

BBC - Advice - Age Of Consent, worth reading ...

Age of Consent - Am I old enough to have sex

Advice for Parents

Talking to Your Teenager About Sex and Relationships pamphlet unveiled News guardian.co.uk

Helplines

• Brook:
  0808 802 1234

• Terrance Higgins Trust:
  0845 12 21 200
• ChildLine

• information by Sch