The Forensic Nurse

Canada recently updated its laws concerning the age of sexual consent this may. The laws are being rewriten to bump that age by two full years.

Under the new statute a person must be 16 years of age to give their consent to engage in sexual intercourse. Any person who engages in sexual activities with a person under that age limit may face criminal charges. The previous law established in 1892 set that age of consent to 14 years of age.

The law does allow for what is known as a close-in-age provision of five years. That means that it would be legal for a 15 year old to engage in a sexual relationship with a person up to 19 years of age, IF  that older individual was not in a position of exploitation or in a position of trust or authority over the minor.

While most have hailed the new law as something needed and overdue, some gay rights organizations feel that the law is incomplete. It is currently illegal for Canadians under 18 to have anal sex, which means that two consenting 17 year olds would still be in violation of the law.