How many of you teens know there are laws concerning when it's legal to have sex?

While it's true that many teens will ignore the laws on underage sex, it's still important for them to know what the law is and to understand the potential consequences if their sexual activity comes to the attention of authorities. However, almost all your statements about these laws are inaccurate.

The laws differ from state to state, and it's hazardous to make generalizations about the various state laws. One of the few valid generalizations is that the the age of consent is 18 or less in every state.

Not that it really matters, but only a handful of states actually define the crime of "statutory rape". Each state specifies what sort of sexual activities are prohibited. Typically, they will explicitly prohibit p-v sex, oral and anal sex, and other forms of "sexual contact". This may include touching of intimate parts skin-to-skin as well as through clothing.

Contrary to your statement that it's illegal to perform sexual acts "as a minor", it's not! What's illegal is to perform sexual acts "with" a person that's under the age of consent, unless the state has a close-in-age exception which applies to the particular situation.

In some states where the age of consent is 18, two minors who have sex with each other are both violating the law, while in other states, it will be permissible based on their age difference. Again, depending on the state, it may be legal or illegal for an adult to have sex with a minor, based on their age difference.

You claim that kissing a person who is under the age of consent can be illegal. I'm unaware of any state having such a restriction. Please identify the state that you claim has such a law.

Generally, sex ed courses in the schools don't teach any of this. As essential as this information is, teaching teenagers that it may be permissible under the law for them to have sex would invite objections from parents who don't want their offspring to have sex before they're 30.

I'm pretty sure it's 16 where I live and I'm gonna be 16 soon and have a boyfriend who's already 16 but I'm not having sex till I'm at least 18.....sooo yeah and I've never heard of such laws about kissing and hugging I've only been confirmed about actual sex not sexual acts nor kissing or touching.......but tbh so many ppl my age are having sex anyways with out thinking about what actually could happen and all the consequences they'll have to deal with that they just don't care anymore it's ridiculous.

Are you mormon or Judas Witness, or some devote Christian? In my country girls age 12 already have sex, and many times with consent of their parents. Hugging starts at age 1 between boys and girls, and kissing is normal after 5 years old kids.

I believe that the United States need to update their laws.

As a peace of advice try to update a bit more your way of thinking, unless if you are a lawyer. Which I would still recomend to update it. You know that the laws are made to help the people to have a better life. For instance law of prostitution in the US, has just made things worse for the the United States, for sure many religious people are not happy about it, yet since your country says to be a cosmopolitan and free of choice country. Like for instance take Sweeden, there is ligal prostitution and mariguana. And they have a much higher standart of living than the United States.

We live in a multicultural world were frontiers are beggining to collapse, thats why being open minded and learning to addapt to the new world is so important. Its called mutual respect.

teenagers don't care if it's O.K. to have sex, they just do it, but what about the adults, they know, teens are not usually blame for having sex, it's the adults that go to jail, they should know. The 16 years old should know that a 14 years old is too young, but even so, they don't care, only that they don't get caught. Thx

Those laws are only set to protect young kids from old perverts. It's a shame that some states prosecute the teens just because the parents were upset and called the police.

the information age and they're exposed to sex, etc on the net and everywhere else They know put don't care they wan what they want when they want it. Ever read these 13 year old females say their mature for their age. They see all this and think they are no 13 year old is mature in the sense of the word they haven;t been around long enough to be mature

Yeah like a law Is gonna stop something. There's laws for speeding but people still speed Including me.

I honostly personally don't like ro have sex until I'm 17 but my friends they wanna have it so yeah

i did it when i was 14

Indiana 16 with consent to be with 18+. Parents can press charges on any individual who sleeps with their kid. No matter the age as long as their kid is under age.