(June 20, 2015 at 9:26 am)Nope Wrote: In the US, the age of consent varies from state to state so what might be too young in one state is legal in another. In NC, it is 16 while in some other states it is 18. It might be legal in one state for a couple to have sex but if they cross the border into another state, the older person could be charged with a crime.
In the U.S., the current laws vary from 16 to 18, with most having the age of consent at 16. See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_co...ted_States
(Also note the map at the top of that page.)
So different states disagree about the status of 16 and 17 year olds, but basically agree on those 15 and younger and 18 and older (though the penalties and exceptions may differ).
It would be good if the entire country had one age of consent, so that one need not worry about crossing state lines, but given the way the U.S. is, that is not likely to happen any time soon, if ever. So if you want to cross state lines and be legal in every state, you should regard the age of consent as 18 to avoid problems. Or in other words, if your boyfriend or girlfriend is 16 or 17 and you are having sex, be careful what state lines you cross with that person, as it could lead to serious problems for you.
And, of course, if one is in other countries, it would be wise to learn the local laws before one does anything that might be illegal.
Still, it is not surprising that there are different opinions about when the age of consent should be, because there is no point in age where one changes dramatically from one day to the next. But most people agree that there should be some age of consent (as otherwise having sex with 6 year olds would be legal), and so a line is drawn somewhere.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
