The term “legal age of consent” is usually used when there has been a question of whether sexual conduct between two people is legal or not – and that question is of specific interest when at least one of the two people involved in the sexual act is a young person. The age of consent is the age that the state has determined a person needs to be in order to be able to understand what they are doing when they engage in sexual intercourse. In some cases, the question about the age of consent is raised when there is a large age disparity between two parties having sex, while in other situations the question arises when both of the people who are engaging in sex are younger. The state of Pennsylvania has established a number of different rules regarding consent, with an eye to acknowledging that there is a difference between corruption of a minor, statutory sexual assault, and consensual activity between two young people. If you or someone you love has been accused of violations regarding the legal age of consent, the criminal defense attorneys at Erik B. Jensen Attorneys at Law can provide you with valuable information and a strong defense.
The state of Pennsylvania’s laws view sex between a person who is under the age of 16 but at least 13 and somebody close to their age differently than when the other party is much older. The legal age of consent is 16 years of age for statutory sexual assault, and 18 years for corruption of minors. There are a wide range of laws and charges that can be applied to different circumstances, with factors ranging from the age difference between the two parties involved and whether the two people are married to one another. If a teen who is 13, 14 or 15 has sex with a person who is less than four years older than they are, then an accusation of statutory rape will not be made. If, however, the other party is four or more years older, they will likely be charged with statutory sexual assault.
In cases involving sexual contact with a person under the age of 13, the other party will be charged with rape. Other charges that may depend upon age and the factors cited above include statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, or unlawful contact with minors.
Each of these charges has different meaning and very different types of penalties, and if you have been accused of violating any of the Pennsylvania’s age of consent laws then you need an experienced and knowledgeable attorney who can defend you and work to get the charges against you dropped or reduced. At the law firm of Erik B. Jensen Attorneys at Law, we understand how upsetting it is to be charged with this type of crime, and we will work hard to clear your name. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
