The authorized threshold for consensual sexual exercise in West Virginia is sixteen years outdated. Any sexual act with a person beneath this age could also be thought-about statutory rape, no matter whether or not the minor consents.
Establishing this threshold goals to guard youngsters and adolescents from exploitation and potential hurt. This safety acknowledges that people beneath a sure age might not possess the maturity to totally perceive the implications and potential penalties of sexual exercise. Legal guidelines defining this age have advanced to mirror societal understanding of kid improvement and vulnerability.