For some reason, the search option is not working for me, so I apologize if this has been done before.
What do the Dopers think should be the age of consent (for sexual relationships?)
I understand that in Sweded, 12-17 year olds can give consent, but their parents may press charges if they feel their child is being exploited.
I think 15. Just because in Australia and Japan, kids are legally allowed to leave school and start full-time work at that age.
AFAIC, if they are old enough to be contributing to the economy, then they should have all the other rights of adults too.
Of course, I also think there should be better education in the schools about responsible sex, drinking and driving before the laws are changed.
There are other threads on the topic.
My understanding in Japan, is that below the age of 12 is definately a crime. 12-16 is a grey area, and above 16 is the legal age of consent. Got the above from japanese colleagues.
Hong Kong it is 16.
There should not be an age of consent per se. People of the same age should not be prevented from engaging in mutually noncoercive sexual activity.
What should be prevented is exploitation of the younger by the older, and, of course, coercive sex regardless of age.
They should be old enough to have a full time job before engaging in sex that could cause babies that tax payers have to pay for.
Also, gay AOC ages often are not the same as non-gay, since they won’t have to be concerned about pregnancy.
Nope, it’s fifteen years over here and it’s not negotiable.
This is pretty much the case in many U.S. States. It’s not so much actual age, but the difference in age that matters. For instance, in Alabama, if the younger (underage) partner is more than two years younger, the older partner can be prosecuted. Two years or less difference, and State Law says there is no statutory rape involved.
Before someone asks for a cite, IAN a lawyer. This came up recently with a co-worker’s 13 year old daughter and her 14 year old boy-friend, and that’s how she (the co-worker) said it played out.
AOC rules can often be over ridden with parental consent. Getting the folks approval isn’t all that much fun 
Well, it seems according to http://www.ageofconsent.com that the average age for m/m or f/f sex is higher than that for m/f sex. Just to burst your bubble, hon.
Angel, I was just kidding. Anyway, what would you attribute the fact that the age is higher?
“In England, Scotland and Wales, the age of consent for gay men was the subject of debate for many years. The age of consent is the age at which it is legal for a man to have sexual intercourse with another man of the same age or older. Finally, on the 8th January 2001, the Sexual Offences (Ammendment) Bill came into effect. This resulted in the age of consent being reduced from 18 to 16. This brought the homosexual age sex of consent into line with the heterosexual age of consent.”
http://www.avert.org/hsexu7.htm
(Great list of consent ages around the world & by state)
In Canada, age of consent is 14, provided that neither party is not in a position of trust or authority to the other. This is the same for any gender combination of partners.
At last report, age of consent to anal sex was 18, although this may have been changed.