underage

The legal age of consent for sexual activity in Illinois is 17. This means that voluntary sexual conduct with a person under the age of 17 cannot be consensual under the law under any circumstances. Put another way, it is not possible for anybody under the age of 17 to legally consent to any sexual conduct. Sexual conduct is defined as touching the sex organs of another person. This makes it possible for two 16-year-olds who engage in “heavy petting” to be found guilty of a crime in Illinois and to end up on the Illinois sex offender checklist.

Illinois Age of Consent Laws

Under Illinois law, when a person under 17 years of age commits a sexual act with another person who is under the age of 17, both parties are guilty of criminal sexual abuse. So, in the example above, if the parents of both teenagers complain to the police, both teenagers would be arrested and charged with criminal sexual abuse.