Sex & the Law

 

The laws on sex and sexual behaviour are designed to keep everyone safe - especially children and young people.

Everyone has the right to feel safe in their relationships, to not be hurt (physically or verbally) or bullied.

 

 

How Does the Law affect me?

 

The age of consent is the age someone needs to be before they can agree to sexual activity. In Scotland the age of consent is 16, whether straight, bi, gay or lesbian or trans. This includes all types of sex including oral sex, anal sex or other sexual contact.

 

This means that if you are both over 16 and want to have any sexual contact then you will not be breaking the law.  However if one of you is under 16 then the one who is over 16 is committing an offence

 

 

Under the influence

 

Sometimes people drink or take drugs and they can't remember whether they have had sex (even if they did want to) and, in some cases, people are unsure whether they consented to sex.

 

 

Consent

 

Means a free agreement and that can only happen when your decision making is not being affected by drink, drugs, fear or persuasionnowing more about sex, alcohol and drugs should help you to make some safer choices

 

For further information click here

 

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