statutory rape
statutory rape — noun
1. the crime of an adult having sex with someone who is younger than the minimum ag
the crime of an adult having sex with someone who is younger than the minimum age set by law for being able to give legal permission for sex — even if the younger person appeared to agree to it.
Brandon was charged with statutory rape after his girlfriend's parents learned she was only fourteen.
passive: be charged with statutory rape
In many states, statutory rape laws exist to protect young people from much older partners.
collocation: statutory rape laws
The judge told the jury that statutory rape is a crime even when the minor agreed to sex.
Daichi was convicted of statutory rape for a relationship that began when he was twenty-three and she was fifteen.
A new law raised the penalty for statutory rape when the age gap between partners is more than five years.
- unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor
a more formal legal term often used in court documents; less common in everyday news
- sexual abuse of a minor
broader term that includes non-intercourse sexual acts and may involve younger children
文法句型
usually singular
用法筆記
A key feature of statutory rape is that it is a strict-liability crime — the prosecution does not have to prove that the adult knew the minor's age or that the minor did not consent. The crime exists because the law considers a person below a certain age incapable of giving valid consent. The specific age of consent varies by jurisdiction, typically between 14 and 18.