Peru
The age of consent in Peru was 14, but in 2006, was raised to 18 by the Congress. In 2007, Peru's Congress voted overwhelmingly to return the age to its prior age of 14, regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation, however, due to great controversy, the bill was 'reconsidered' or withdrawn.
According to Article 173 of the Peruvian Penal Code, as modified by Law Nº 28704 (in Spanish) sexual intercourse as well as analogous acts introducing objects or body parts are punished differently depending on the age of the young person – life sentence when the young person is under 10, from 30 to 35 years of prison when the young person is between 10 and 13, and from 25 to 30 years of prison when the young person is between 14 and 17. When the offender is in position of “particular authority” or trust over the victim, including parental bonds, the punishment is also a life sentence for the latter two.
There is also a crime called seduction (seducción) in Article 175 as modified by Law Nº 28251 (in Spanish), which applies to sexual intercourse (or similar) obtained by the means of deceit, with teenagers between 14 and 18. The punishment is 3 to 5 years of prison.
A further crime called “Indecent assault on minors” (actos contra el pudor en menores) is seen in Article 176-A, and applies in situations in which the offender performs an act or causes the minor under 14 years of age to perform an act upon him or herself or another that involves improper touching of the "intimate parts" or general indecent lewdness without intention of engaging in sexual intercourse or similar. This crime is punished differently depending on the age of the victim – from 7 to 10 years of prison when the victim is under 7, from 6 to 9 years of prison when the victim is between 7 and 9, and from 6 to 8 years of prison when the victim is between 10 and 13. When the offender is in position of “particular authority” or trust over the victim, including parental bonds, the punishment is from 10 to 12 years of prison.
Finally, article 178 establishes a different provision – if any of these offenses result in pregnancy, the offender is additionally required to provide food for the offspring.
Therapeutical treatment is also required in article 178-A – after medical examination – for all sexual offenders in order to facilitate his social readaptation.
Article 184 provides equal punishment for anyone who cooperates in any of these crimes by abuse of authority, charge or trust over the minor, including any family.
Read more about this topic: Ages Of Consent In South America
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