Global Progress Towards Ending the Sexual Exploitation of Children
A global problem requires truly global solutions to address the sexual exploitation of children.
Indicators
Age of Consent
Partial
Age of sexual consent is 17 years. The national legislation provides for a three year close-in-age exemption for a child and an adult and an exemption for children who have not yet attained the age of sexual consent but are "close in age".
Analysis of country legislation on age of sexual consent, 2024
Extraterritoriality & Extradition
Partial
Active extraterritorial jurisdiction is provided for all offences including SEC offences, and specifically those committed in the online environment if the crime is committed with the help of an electronic system accessed by Cyprus. It is not clear whether habitual residents are included. Passive extraterritoriality is not provided for in the Cypriot Criminal Code.
Under the Law on Extradition of Fugitives of 1970, extraditable offences are those contained in extradition treaties or those listed in the Annex, which only includes the “Promotion or exploitation of women or young persons for ordinary purposes".
SEC offences are referred to as extraditable under the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) framework within the EU without requiring double criminality if the act is punishable by a maximum period of at least three years of imprisonment in the requesting State.
Criminal Code, Law 91 (I)/2014 - Law on the Prevention and Combating of Sexual Abuse, Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Pornography, Law 97/1970 – The Law on Extradition of Fugitives of 1970, Law 133 (I) / 2004 - The European Arrest Warrant and the Extradition Procedures Wanted Between the Member States of the European Union, 1962 (status as of 2020), 2014, 1970,
CSAM Definition
Not Yet Assessed
Background Check Required
Not Yet Assessed
National Commitments
Not Yet Assessed
Child Advocacy Centers
Not Yet Assessed
SEC Police Unit
Not Yet Assessed
Protection Standards Travel and Tourism
Not Yet Assessed
Public SEC Case Data
Not Yet Assessed
Age of Consent Law is Appropriate
The age of sexual consent for both males and females is 18 and a close in age exemption (up to 3 years) is provided for consensual sexual relationships between adolescents.
The age of sexual consent is the legally defined age at which a person is considered mature enough to agree to sexual activity. The age of sexual consent varies across jurisdictions around the world and there is no international legal instrument establishing it, however various forms of advocacy have encouraged States to establish a minimum age under which engaging in sexual contact is considered a criminal offence. This is intended to prevent sexual contact with children and to prevent argument that the child consented as a defence.
Often national provisions related to the age of sexual consent include an exception, known as a close-in-age exemption, making consensual sexual activities between young people lawful if the partners are of similar ages and the age difference is not higher than a certain number of years.
To ensure that cases of child sexual exploitation do not go unpunished, ECPAT advocates for the age of sexual consent to be set at 18 for both males and females with a close-in-age exemption of 2-3 years provided in order to ensure young people are not penalised for consensual sexual acts with peers. The age from which the exemption applies should be established by States but may begin for young people somewhere between 12 and 16 years of age.
Yes The national legislation explicitly indicates that the age of sexual consent unequivocally is 18 for both males and females, with a close-in-age exemption for sexual acts between peers (of up to 3 years) is provided by law.