{"id":371581,"date":"2016-03-31T21:34:22","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:34:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/arizona-law\/arizona-prohibited-consensual-sexual-activity-laws.html"},"modified":"2025-03-07T15:02:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T20:02:48","slug":"arizona-prohibited-consensual-sexual-activity-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/arizona-law\/arizona-prohibited-consensual-sexual-activity-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Arizona Prohibited Consensual Sexual Activity Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Arizona Prohibited Consensual Sexual Activity Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

For the most part, your sex life is nobody else\u2019s business. But, most states, including Arizona, have laws prohibiting specific consensual sexual acts<\/a>. These sex crimes have little to do with consent and a lot to do with social and cultural mores and attitudes toward sexuality.<\/p>\r\n

An example of this would be the anti-sodomy laws<\/a> that are still on the books in many states, even though homosexuality is more accepted today than it was 50 years ago. There are also laws against engaging in sexual conduct in public.<\/p>\r\n

The good news is that the U.S. Supreme Court found many of these laws unconstitutional in Lawrence v. Thomas<\/i><\/a> <\/i>(2003.) But, state laws still ban some consensual sex acts<\/a>, particularly when they involve unwitting third parties in an offensive or shocking manner.<\/p>\r\n

Here, we\u2019ll explain the laws in Arizona that prohibit consensual sexual relations. We will also discuss Arizona\u2019s statutory rape laws<\/a>. Finally, we\u2019ll describe the penalties and defenses to these crimes. If you\u2019re facing sodomy, rape, or statutory rape charges, consult a skilled criminal defense lawyer<\/a> immediately.<\/p>\r\n

Arizona Law and Age-of-Consent Laws<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

In most sexual assault or rape cases, your guilty will turn on whether the other party consented to the sexual activity. The legal age for consent<\/a> in Arizona is 18. According to A.R.S. 13-1405<\/a>, the legal act of consent for purposes of sex-related crimes is 18 years of age. An 18-year-old can consent to a sexual relationship with another person, whereas a 15-year-old can’t.<\/p>\r\n

If an adult engages in a sexual relationship with someone under 18, they may be guilty of child molestation or sexual abuse<\/a>. It depends on the age difference between the parties, the facts of the case, and the victim\u2019s age.<\/p>\r\n

For example, if you are 19 and are in a relationship with a 17-year-old high school student, you may be guilty of statutory rape<\/a>. If police learn of this relationship, they may arrest you and file criminal charges. You\u2019ll face possible prison time, fines, and registration as a sex offender<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Does Arizona Have a Romeo and Juliet Law?<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Many states have what we call Romeo and Juliet<\/a> laws. These laws offer a limited defense for people engaged in a sexual relationship with someone under 18.<\/p>\r\n

Arizona statute \u00a713-1407<\/a> offers a \u201cclose-in-age\u201d exemption for defendants facing charges of statutory rape or sexual conduct with a minor<\/a>. To qualify for this defense, the offender must prove the following:<\/p>\r\n