age of consent
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age of consent,
the age at which, according to the law, persons are bound by their words and acts. There are different ages at which one acquires legal capacity to consent to marriage, to choose a guardian, to conclude a contract, and the like. For marriage, the age may be higher for males than for females if the jurisdiction does not guarantee equal rights to men and women. Age of consent also means the age below which consent of the female to sexual intercourse is not a defense to a charge of raperape,in law, the crime of sexual intercourse without the consent of the victim, often through force or threat of violence. The victim is deemed legally incapable of consenting if she or he is known to be mentally incompetent, intoxicated, drugged, or below the age of consent at
..... Click the link for more information. . Under common law this age was 10; state statutes in the United States generally set it between 13 and 18. See also consentconsent,
in law, active acquiescence or silent compliance by a person legally capable of consenting (see age of consent). It may be evidenced by words or acts or by silence when silence implies concurrence.
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