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 16 years. The national legislation provides for a three years close-in-age exemption for children from the age of 14 years. While the age of sexual consent is the same between boys and girls, Israel's definition of rape does not include boys as victims.
Analysis of country legislation on age of sexual consent, 2024
Extraterritoriality & Extradition
Partial
Active extraterritoriality is provided for all SEC related offences (including habitual residents) under Article Three, Section 15(a) of the Penal Law. Double criminality is required for active extraterritoriality except for some SEC related offences such as exploitation of children in prostitution or trafficking of children for sexual purposes as stated under Section 15(b) of the Penal Law. Passive extraterritoriality is provided for all SEC related offences committed abroad against Israeli citizens or against Jewish people under Sections 14(a) and 13(b)(2) of the Penal Law, respectively. Double criminality is required for passive extraterritoriality under Section 14(b)(1).
Extraditable offences are those punished with at least one year of imprisonment by Israeli law, under Article 2(a) therefore including all SEC related offences under the Penal Law. The extradition of Israeli citizens and residents can only be granted if the purpose of the request for extradition is to put the person on trial and if the requesting state assumes the obligation to return the extradited person to serve his sentence in Israel if found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment, under Section 1A(a) of the Extradition Law.
Penal Law,
Extradition Law, 1977, 1954
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.