The age of consent for sex is the age at which one is legally competent to submit to sexual intercourse. The median age for this in most countries seems to be 16 to 18, however ages ranging from 12 to 21 do exist. Some countries do not have age of consent laws but instead ban sex outside of marriage completely. To have sexual relations with someone below the age of consent is a crime called statutory rape because someone below the age of consent is considered incapable by the law of making a mature decision.
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The age of consent for sex is the age at which one is legally competent to submit to sexual intercourse. The median age for this in most countries seems to be 16 to 18, however ages ranging from 12 to 21 do exist. Some countries do not have age of consent laws but instead ban sex outside of marriage completely. To have sexual relations with someone below the age of consent is a crime (called statutory rape in some jurisdictions) because someone below the requisite age is considered, by law, incapable of consenting to the sexual act.
In certain countries, [[homosexual]] activities have a different, usually higher, age of consent.{{fact}}
In certain countries, [[homosexual]] activities have a different, usually higher, age of consent.{{fact}}