I was having a disagreement with a buddy of mine on how the laws of age of consent impact US Citizens in foreign countries, so I'd like some help from the board to make sure I am clear on this law.
Here is the law:
"The Protect Act of 2003 prohibits U.S. citizens and legal residents from illicit sexual conduct including commercial sex with anyone under 18, and non-commercial sex with persons under 16 when there is at least a four-year age difference or the person is under 12 years of age. The law applies even if the country in which the sexual acts take place has a lower age of consent."
Now, my understanding form above is this:
1. No US Citizen can have commercial sex (aka P4P sex) with anyone under 18 -- anywhere in the world!
2. When the girl is NOT A PRO (P4P), like a normal girl working as a hairstylist, even if the local age of consent is 15 in the country he visits, a US Citizen who is 21+ older, cannot have sex with her, or he risks being charged with statutory rape - even though teh local law is 15 for age of consent!
2a. A US citizen 21+ CAN LEGALLY HAVE SEX with a 16 year old if the age of consent of that country is at least 16. So, a 30 year-old man can have sex with a 16 year old girl so long as she is not a hooker, AND the local law of consent is at least 16.
Our disagreement was on point 2a.
Mixx
Here is the law:
"The Protect Act of 2003 prohibits U.S. citizens and legal residents from illicit sexual conduct including commercial sex with anyone under 18, and non-commercial sex with persons under 16 when there is at least a four-year age difference or the person is under 12 years of age. The law applies even if the country in which the sexual acts take place has a lower age of consent."
Now, my understanding form above is this:
1. No US Citizen can have commercial sex (aka P4P sex) with anyone under 18 -- anywhere in the world!
2. When the girl is NOT A PRO (P4P), like a normal girl working as a hairstylist, even if the local age of consent is 15 in the country he visits, a US Citizen who is 21+ older, cannot have sex with her, or he risks being charged with statutory rape - even though teh local law is 15 for age of consent!
2a. A US citizen 21+ CAN LEGALLY HAVE SEX with a 16 year old if the age of consent of that country is at least 16. So, a 30 year-old man can have sex with a 16 year old girl so long as she is not a hooker, AND the local law of consent is at least 16.
Our disagreement was on point 2a.
Mixx