Jailbait or jail bait is slang[1][2] for a person who is younger than the legal age of consent for sexual activity and usually appears older, with the implication that a person above the age of consent might find them sexually attractive.[3] The term jailbait is derived from the fact that engaging in sexual activity with someone who is under the age of consent is classified as statutory rape[3] or by an equivalent term.[4] The minor deemed sexually attractive is thus a temptation to an older person to pursue them for sexual relations at the risk of being sent to jail if caught.
Criteria
As the legal age of consent varies by country and jurisdiction, the age at which a person can be considered "jailbait" varies. For example, in the United Kingdom, where the age of consent is 16,[5] the term is used to refer to those younger than 16, whereas in some parts of the United States, where the age of consent is 18, the term would refer to those aged under 18. The frequent use of the term jailbait in popular culture has been linked to a greater understanding of age of consent laws among teenagers.[2]
See also
- COPINE scale
- Jailbait images
- Lolita (term)
- To Catch a Predator
References
- ^ House, Random (2001). Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary. New York: Random House Reference. ISBN 0-375-42605-1.
- ^ a b Sutherland, Kate (2003). "From Jailbird to Jailbait: Age of Consent Laws and the Construction of Teenage Sexualities". William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law. 9 (3): 313–49. SSRN 1586883.
- ^ a b "Jail bait". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-09-16.
- ^ In the U.S. State of California, there is no such crime of "statutory rape," as the term "rape" is used specifically as penetration by force. The equivalent crime is "unlawful sexual intercourse" as defined by Sec. 261.5 of the California Penal Code.
- ^ "Sexual Offences Act 2003". The National Archives. Retrieved 2018-09-16.