There are two main things to consider:
Your age and your relationship to the person you are having sex with.
This table shows the ages at which sex is permitted and prohibited:
| Age | 0-13 | 14-15 | 16-17 | 18-20 | 21+ |
| 0-13 | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| 14-15 | NO | YES | YES | YES | NO |
| 16-17 | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| 18-20 | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| 21+ | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES |
Both people must want to have sex.
If one person doesn’t want to have sex, sex is prohibited.
Nobody is allowed to force you to have sex.
Do you live in a residential home?
You are not allowed to have sex under the age of 16.
Sex is prohibited between the following people:
- Parents and children
- Step parents and children
- Male or female teachers with male or female pupils
- Male or female carers with young people in a residential home or youth facility
- On a training course, at work or on an internship, your male or female tutor is not allowed to have sex with you.
- If you are living in a family as a foster child, your foster parents are not allowed to have sex with you.
- Your legal guardian is also not allowed to have sex with you.
None of these people are allowed to force or persuade you to have sex.
If they do, get help immediately.