Right here, we discover how the UK’s age of consent compares with the remainder of the world, from international locations with out a authorized age restrict, akin to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Afghanistan, to these with a a lot greater age of consent, akin to Bahrain, South Korea, and Nepal.
International locations with no age of sexual consent:
There isn’t a age of consent in some international locations, together with Iran, Libya, the Maldives, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
In these international locations, it is unlawful to interact in sexual exercise outdoors of marriage (per Age of Consent). As such, they’ve legal guidelines stipulating an age of consent to marriage. In lots of international locations the place intercourse earlier than marriage is unlawful, the age of consent to marry is greater for males than it’s for girls. For instance, in Qatar, the minimal authorized age of marriage is 16 for ladies and 18 for boys.
Even in international locations with a minimal age of consent to marriage, the courts can nonetheless grant approval for particular person circumstances the place the events(s) are underage.
International locations with ages of consent underneath 16:
Most international locations require younger folks to be at the very least 14 earlier than participating in sexual exercise, with some notable exceptions: In Nigeria, the age of consent is 11; in Angola and the Philippines, it is set at 12; and it is 13 in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Japan – though the latter’s consent legal guidelines fluctuate relying on which area you are in.
If Iraq’s new laws turns into legislation, the age of consent can be lowered from 18 to 9.
Many European international locations, together with Italy, Hungary, Germany, Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro set the age of consent at 14. That is additionally true of plenty of South American international locations, together with Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador and Paraguay.
The age of consent can be 14 in Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, and Chad.
The age of consent rises to fifteen in Thailand, France, Poland, Sweden, Greece, and Croatia – in addition to Iceland, Denmark, and Honduras.
International locations with ages of consent 16+:
The UK units the age of consent at 16 – together with Spain, Russia, South Africa, Canada, Australia, and Israel.
Finland, Norway, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Luxembourg, and Cuba additionally set the age of consent at 16.
The age of consent varies by state within the USA: 31 states set the age of consent as 16, eight set it at 17, and 11 set it at 18. In response to Age of Consent, 26 states have close-in-age legal guidelines, which legalise “sexual exercise between underaged members if they’re shut sufficient to 1 one other in age.”
The age of consent rises to 17 in Eire, Mexico, Cyprus, and Nauru; and 18 in India, Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, Uganda, Argentina, Iraq, Chile, and Vatican Metropolis.
The age of consent is 20 in South Korea and Nepal and 21 in Bahrain.
GLAMOUR has reached out to Russell Model for a remark. This function can be stored up to date.
GLAMOUR is campaigning for the federal government to introduce an Picture-Based mostly Abuse Invoice in partnership with Jodie Campaigns, the Finish Violence In opposition to Girls Coalition, Not Your Porn, and Professor Clare McGlynn.
For extra details about emotional abuse and home abuse, you’ll be able to name The Freephone Nationwide Home Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247.
For extra details about reporting and recovering from rape and sexual abuse, you’ll be able to contact Rape Disaster on 0808 500 2222.
If in case you have been sexually assaulted, yow will discover your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre right here. You can too discover assist at your native GP, voluntary organisations akin to Rape Disaster, Girls’s Help, and Sufferer Help, and you’ll report it to the police (in case you select) right here.
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