Statutory Rape Laws in the United States
Statutory rape refers to sexual activity in which one party is below the legal age of consent, regardless of willingness. Penalties vary dramatically by state and by the age difference between the parties.
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How statutory rape is defined
Every U.S. state criminalizes sexual activity with a person under the statutory age of consent — typically 16, 17, or 18. Most jurisdictions classify the offense by tiers based on the victim's age and the perpetrator's age difference.
Common defenses
- Romeo and Juliet exemption — close-in-age defense, available in roughly 30 states.
- Reasonable mistake of age — recognized in only a handful of states.
- Marriage — historically an absolute defense, increasingly restricted.
By state
- Alabama (age 16)
- Alaska (age 16)
- Arizona (age 18)
- Arkansas (age 16)
- California (age 18)
- Colorado (age 17)
- Connecticut (age 16)
- Delaware (age 18)
- Florida (age 18)
- Georgia (age 16)
- Hawaii (age 16)
- Idaho (age 18)
- Illinois (age 17)
- Indiana (age 16)
- Iowa (age 16)
- Kansas (age 16)
- Kentucky (age 16)
- Louisiana (age 17)
- Maine (age 16)
- Maryland (age 16)
- Massachusetts (age 16)
- Michigan (age 16)
- Minnesota (age 16)
- Mississippi (age 16)
- Missouri (age 17)
- Montana (age 16)
- Nebraska (age 16)
- Nevada (age 16)
- New Hampshire (age 16)
- New Jersey (age 16)
- New Mexico (age 17)
- New York (age 17)
- North Carolina (age 16)
- North Dakota (age 18)
- Ohio (age 16)
- Oklahoma (age 16)
- Oregon (age 18)
- Pennsylvania (age 16)
- Rhode Island (age 16)
- South Carolina (age 16)
- South Dakota (age 16)
- Tennessee (age 18)
- Texas (age 17)
- Utah (age 18)
- Vermont (age 16)
- Virginia (age 18)
- Washington (age 16)
- West Virginia (age 16)
- Wisconsin (age 18)
- Wyoming (age 17)
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