I was inspired to make this by articles like this one and cases I read in these two reports from Human Rights Watch, some of which I’ll detail here:
In 2006, a 13-year old girl from Ogden, Utah was arrested for rape for having consensual sex with her 12-year-old boyfriend. Her 12-year-old boyfriend was found guilty of violating the same law for engaging in sexual activity with her.
In Georgia, a 26-year-old married woman was made to register as a sex offender for life and had to move from her home because as a teenager she had oral sex with a willing fellow high school student when she was 17 and he was 15.
As one individual who was convicted of statutory rape at age 16 for having consensual sex with his 14-year-old girlfriend told Human Rights Watch, “We were in love. And now we are married. So it’s like I am on the registry for having premarital sex. Does having premarital sex make me a danger to society? My wife doesn’t think so.”
Dan M.’s story: I was convicted of statutory rape when I was 17. The girl was 15.
Henry F., adjudicated at 17 in Michigan for having consensual sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend
Sean C., adjudicated at 17 for having consensual sex with a girlfriend who was three weeks shy of 16
The map works best on desktop but currently provides an at least passable experience on mobile in landscape. Explore below the map if you’re interested in the sources and logic used to assemble the formula.
What a fucking bizarre way to communicate age of consent laws. That title is just what are they even doing? Then the colors disturb me too. Because frankly they should be reversed. Bright dangerous Reds the states that thanks 13 year olds can consent. Cuz that’s alarming. Something broken in your brain and your soul if you think that’s okay. Yet this map seems to be approving of that,
I don’t care when other people decide they’re ready to have sex. I only care that they have the liberty to do so, and don’t end up in the 12/13 Utah scenario in the OP in which both of them landed on the sex offender registry.