The Age of Consent Act 1891

The Age of Consent Act 1891 was a law in the United Kingdom that established the legal age at which an individual could consent to sexual intercourse. Specifically, it set this age at 16 for girls, thereby making sexual acts with girls under this age illegal and punishable. The law was a response to societal concerns about child exploitation and aimed to protect minors from sexual abuse. This act reflected evolving views on childhood, consent, and sexual morality in Victorian society, marking an important step in children's rights and legal protections against sexual offenses.