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The age of consent is 16 in my state.
Does anyone here live in a state where it's 15?



Not with a person who is over 21.

Some states have sliding scales where neither party can be charged or seen as a victim if the difference of ages is below an arbitrary statutory number. Like some places the age of concent may be 16, but a 19 y/o having sex with a 15 y/o would not be a crime. Because of this "twist" those states tend to have second "age of concent," an age below which a person is not legally allowed to have sex.

Sometimes it borders on the ridiculous. Take Arizona for example. Age of consent it 18. But, if you're in high school and under 19, you're OK as long as the girl is no more than 2 years younger than you. Graduate HS or turn 19, and you have to wait for her to turn 18 for your next tryst. If you're 15 and have sex with a 14 y/o in AZ, you're screwed since 15 is the age below which a person is not legally allowed to have sex.

California on the other hand is hard and fast. No one under 18 is allowed to have sex. Technically if two 17 y/olds have sex, both can be charged with victimizing the other.



The wording varies from state to state. The legal wording in some cases, can mean more than people think. My state can penalize someone for inducing an innocent minor to commit an unlawful sexual act. It does not of itself declare any sexual acts to be unlawful. To illustrate, if a married person were to initiate a sexual relationship with a "chaste" 16-year-old, that person would be in violation of this section because adultery qualifies as unlawful sexual intercourse under the law; if the person were unmarried, there would be no violation.