In Australia, you're considered to be an adult when you turn 18 years old. But for certain things, the legal age can be younger. The information in this article is general in nature, and laws differ from state to state.
For this Act: a child is defined as a person who is under 12 years old (section 11) a young person means a person who is 12 years or older, but not yet an adult (section 12)
If the sex is consensual (and it must be enthusiastic consent) and the other party is also aged 16 years or over it is not against the law, although there are some exceptions: If the person is very drunk or under the influence of drugs, they may not have the capacity to consent so having sex with them is an offence.
Once you turn 16, you won't normally be forced to return home by the authorities as long as you've got a safe place to go and you can financially support yourself. If you're under 18 and leave home, the police and Child Safety may investigate the reasons why you left home.
Parents, as a general rule, have full parental responsibility for any of their children who are under 18 years. The law does however see that parental responsibility over you may reduce as you get closer to 18 and become mature enough to make your own decisions. There is no law that says what age you can leave home.
If you are 16 years old and above, you can legally have sex (or do another sexual activity) with another person who is 16 years or older as long as you both agree to it.
The legal age for consensual sex varies between 16 and 17 years across Australian state and territory jurisdictions (see Table 2). For other sexual activities, the criminal legislation relating to different types of sexual behaviours and interactions varies across Australian jurisdictions.
This is exactly two years. For example, if a person is 17 and has sex with someone who is 15, it is not a crime. But if the person was 18, it is a crime unless the person believed the person was 16 or older. For more information about what is considered a sexual act, see Sexual assault.
No, it's not illegal for a 16-year-old to date an 18-year-old. States do not impose laws on the ages that you can date. But, they impose laws on the age of consent and sexual conduct between 16 and 18 year olds. The 16-year-old will not get in trouble for dating the 18-year-old.
Definitions of a child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) defines a child as everyone under 18 unless, "under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier".
Australian Capital Territory
Section 11 of the Children and Young People Act 2008 (ACT) defines a child as a person who is under 12 years old, and section 12 defines a young person as a person who is 12 years old or older but not yet an adult.
The lowest age of consent is in Nigeria (11) followed by the Philippines and Angola (12). The age of consent is 13 in four countries – Japan, Niger, Comoros and Burkina Faso.
Among other important things, once you turn 16 you can choose whether to stay on at school or college, start an apprenticeship or training, or get a job. If you're in work, you'll be entitled to a minimum wage for your age, and you are old enough to join a trade union.
A school aged child may not work more than: • 12 hours during a school week; • 38 hours during a week that is not a school week; • 4 hours on a school day; • 8 hours on a non-school day.
Under the Child Employment Act 2003, children can be employed for a maximum of 3 hours per day and 12 hours per week during school term and a maximum of 6 hours per day and 30 hours per week during school holidays. These hours are inclusive of rest breaks.
There aren't any laws around being in a non-sexual relationship where one person is under 18 and the other over. Once you turn 16 it's not illegal for someone to have sex with you no matter how old they are.
It is generally legal for a 16-year-old to date a 19-year-old. The relationship cannot be sexual. It's illegal to have sexual relations with a 16-year-old if you're 19. There are only 3 states where a 16-year-old can consent to sex with a 19-year-old (see below).
The amendments will also criminalize sex with children under the age of 16 by raising the legal age of consent from 13. Japan's current age of consent has remained unchanged since its enactment in 1907 and is one of the lowest among developed nations.
Eventually, teens are ready to make the move and start going on what an adult would recognize as a date. Some pediatricians suggest that kids wait until they're 16 to start this kind of one-on-one dating. That's a good place to start the discussion, but every kid is different.
Age of Consent in Asia
The age of consent in China is 14 years old, but it is illegal to engage in sexual activity with a minor under the age of 14. The age of consent in India is 18 years old, and engaging in sexual activity with a minor under the age of 18 is considered a serious crime.
In Victoria, like in the majority of jurisdictions, the age of consent stands at 16. However, a young person aged 16 or 17 cannot validly consent to sex with a person in a position of authority over them. Like many states, Victoria has what is often referred to as a Romeo and Juliette law.
This means that it is against the law for anyone to have sex with someone who is under 17. For example, an 18 year old who has sex with a 15 year old.
The age of sexual consent was set at 16 for females in 1885 – with a higher penalty for offences against girls under the age of 13 – and has remained largely unchanged for heterosexual acts ever since, despite the social and biological shifts that have occurred in the 130-year interim.
The age of consent in the US, which is generally around 16-18 years old depending on the state, is similar to many other countries around the world. In the United States, each state has its own laws regarding the age of consent for sexual activities.