Ages of consent in the United States

The ages of consent are the ages at which a person is considered legally capable of consenting to participation in a sexual act. These laws vary by jurisdiction, and there have been dramatic changes over time reflecting evolving social values and Western taboos about adolescent sexuality. In the United States, each state and territory has its own age of consent, which ranges from 13 years old in some states to 18 years old in all but two states (New Hampshire and New Mexico). The District of Columbia also sets its own age of consent, which is currently 16 years old. There are also special circumstances that can affect the age of consent, such as the ages between parties involved or if one party is an authority figure. Additionally, individual US territories, like Puerto Rico and Guam, have their own laws regarding the age of consent.