The Age of Consent
G.L. c. 265, § 23 — 16, and up to life in prison below it
Whoever unlawfully has sexual intercourse with and abuses a child under 16 years of age is punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or any term of years, or for a term in a jail or house of correction. A prosecution under the section may not be continued without a finding or placed on file.
Who handles this in Massachusetts: Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs, listed in the Massachusetts directory.
The aggravated forms of the offense, registration and the consequences of a conviction are in other sections not covered here. A charge, or the worry of one, is a question for a licensed Massachusetts attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.L. c. 265, § 23 — Rape and abuse of a child
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Massachusetts attorney.