Editing Sex and the law (section)

== Consent ==
{{Main|Sexual consent in law}}
{{Further|Non-consensual condom removal#Legal status and interpretation in jurisprudence}}

=== Age of consent ===
{{main|Age of consent|Statutory rape}}
While the phrases "age of consent" or "statutory rape" typically do not appear in legal [[statute]]s,<ref name="waites">{{cite book|last=Waites| first = Matthew|title=The Age of Consent: Young People, Sexuality and Citizenship|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2005|isbn= 978-1-4039-2173-4}}</ref> when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent of consenting to engage in sexual acts. This should not be confused with the [[age of majority]], [[defense of infancy|age of criminal responsibility]], or the [[marriageable age]].<ref name="Sexual Interference Charge">{{cite web |last1=Carasue |first1=John |title=Sexual interference |url=https://sexualinterference.ca/law-government/what-is-sexual-interference/ |website=SexualInterference.ca |publisher=Sexual Interference |access-date=13 January 2022 |ref=Sexual interference is what’s called a hybrid offence, meaning it can be prosecuted by the crown as either an indictable offence or as a summary offence.}}</ref>

Some jurisdictions forbid sexual activity outside of legal marriage completely. The relevant age may also vary by the type of sexual act, the sex of the actors, or other restrictions such as abuse of a [[position of trust]]. Some jurisdictions may make allowances for minors engaged in sexual acts with each other, rather than a hard and fast single age. Charges resulting from a breach of these laws may range from a relatively low-level [[misdemeanor]] such as "corruption of a minor", to "statutory rape" (which is considered equivalent to rape, both in severity and sentencing).