The Connecticut Age of Consent is 16 years old. In the United States, the age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is considered legally old enough to consent to participation in sexual activity. Individuals aged 15 or younger in Connecticut are not legally able to consent to sexual activity, and such activity may result in prosecution for statutory rape.
Connecticut statutory rape law is violated when a person has consensual sexual intercourse with an individual under age 16. However, if the offender is a guardian of the victim, the victim's coach or instructor, or if the offender's status gives them authority over the victim and they are over age 20, then the age of consent rises to 18. Children over age 13 may consent to sexual activity so long as the person is not 3 or more years older. Children under age 13 may legally consent to sexual activity with partners who are less than 2 years older.
Connecticut has a close-in-age exemption. A close in age exemption, also known as "Romeo and Juliet law", is designed to prevent the prosecution of underage couples who engage in consensual sex when both participants are significantly close in age to each other, and one or both are below the age of consent.
Depending on the situation, the Connecticut close-in-age exemption may completely exempt qualifying close-in-age couples from the age of consent law, or merely provide a legal defence that can be used in the event of prosecution.
The Age of Consent ranges state-by-state from 16 to 18 years old across the United States. Click the map to view any state's age of consent laws.
Age Of Consent:
16 years oldConnecticut has seven statutory sexual abuse charges on the books which are used to prosecute age of consent and child abuse related crimes within the state. One or more of these charges may be used to prosecute violations of the Connecticut Age of Consent, as statutory rape or the Connecticut equivalent of that charge.
The severity of the criminal charge (felony, misdemeanor, etc) depends on the specifics of the acts committed and the relative ages of the perpetrator and victim. Click any charge for more detailed information.
| Criminal Charge | Severity | Punishment |
|---|---|---|
| Aggravated sexual assault- first degree | Class A felony | 25 to 60 years in prison, maximum fine of $20,000 |
| Aggravated sexual assault of a minor | Class A felony | 25 to 60 years in prison, maximum fine of $20,000 |
| First degree sexual assault | Class A felony ; Class B felony | 25 to 60 years in prison, maximum fine of $20,000; 1 to 20 years in prison, up to a $15,000 fine |
| Sexual assault- fourth degree | Class D felony | 1 to 5 years in prison, a maximum fine of $5,000 |
| Sexual assault- second degree | Class B felony | 1 to 20 years in prison, up to a $15,000 fine |
| Sexual assault- third degree | Class C felony | 1 to 10 years in prison, maximum fine of $10,000 |
| Sexual assault- third degree with a firearm | Class B felony | 1 to 20 years in prison, up to a $15,000 fine |
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If you are a victim of sexual assault or statutory rape, call the 24-hour RAINN help hotline at 800-656-HOPE