In earlier articles I explained that in Guyana, the age of consent (that is, the age at which a child can consent to sexual activity) is 16 years, and that as such, it is generally a criminal offence to engage in sexual activity, including intercourse, with a child under 16 years. I also explained that under Guyana’s laws, any sexual activity with a child under 16 is an offence even if the child consented, since the law does not recognise children as being capable of consenting to sexual activity. As such, generally, once a person is proven to have engaged in sexual activity, including sexual intercourse, with a child under 16, it is practically certain that they will be found guilty of an offence.
