Ages of Consent in South America - Venezuela

Venezuela

The age of consent in Venezuela stands at 16 regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation. Sexual acts with children aged between 12 and 16 are punished under Article 379; furthermore, consensual sex with a woman 16-21 can be punished if the woman was "seduced" under the promise of marriage and she was "known to be honest".

Artículo 379 del Código Penal Venezolano:

" El que tuviere acto carnal con persona mayor de doce (12) y menor de dieciséis (16) años, o ejecutare en ella actos lascivos sin ser su ascendiente tutor ni institutor y aunque no medie ninguna de las circunstancias previstas en el Artículo 375, será castigado con prisión de seis a dieciocho meses y la pena será doble si el author del delito es el primero que corrompe a la persona agraviada.

El acto carnal ejecutado en mujer mayor de dieciséis (16) años y menor de veintiuno (21), con su consentimiento, es punible cuando hubiere seducción con promesa matrimonial y la mujer fuere conocidamente honesta ; en tal caso la pena será de seis meses a un año de prisión.

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Approximate translation: Article 379: "Anyone who engages in sexual acts with a person aged at least twelve (12) but less than sixteen (16) years or performs lewd acts with her, without being an ascendant or guardian and in the absence of any of the circumstances described in Article 375, shall be punished with imprisonment of six to eighteen months and the penalty is doubled if the offender is the first who corrupts the victim.

The sexual acts performed upon a woman older than sixteen (16) years and younger than twenty-one (21), with her consent, are punishable if there was seduction with the promise of marriage and the women was known to be honest, in such case the penalty is six months to one year in prison.

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