The Law And Consenting To Sex: Just The Facts

The age of consent for sex in England is 16. This applies to everyone.

Anybody under the age of 13 is not legally capable of consenting to sexual activity. This is an offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Even if you think you are ready to have sex and you’re under 13 years of age, the law will still regard this as non-consensual.

Consent is about giving permission for something to happen or an agreement to do something. Nobody has the right to make you go further than you want to.

You have every right to say no, at any point, whoever you’re with. If you want to have sex but the other person doesn't, you must absolutely respect their feelings and stop.

No pressure, you both decide to do it and you both feel happy and safe while doing it.

Often this is when a person is not mentally or physically capable of choosing whether or not to engage in sexual behaviour.

For instance, if someone is drunk or high on drugs then that person cannot give consent. This means that even if someone seems eager to engage in sexual activity, doing so can legally be considered sexual assault or rape.

Take a look at this video to understand more about consent:

Have a look at this page for more information on sexual consent, the impact of alcohol and drugs on your decision making ability and how you can keep yourself safe.

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