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Relationships & sex

This section is about the people you are closest to and some of the things that can happen in these relationships.

Relationships are about feelings. Your body belongs to you and your feelings are important. If you are not sure about your feelings you can talk to someone you trust or to a counsellor.

There are laws about relationships and about how people should treat each other. The law tries to protect you from physical and emotional harm. The law is the same for gay and straight people.

Age of consent

There are no laws about when you can start to have a relationship with someone else, but there are laws about when you can start to have sex. See 'Sex & the law' (link below).

Getting married

If you are 16 or 17 you can only get married if:

  • your parents or guardians agree
  • your boyfriend or girlfriend is at least 18
  • a court agrees that your situation is special enough to make it right for the two of you to get married – pregnancy may not be enough.

You can get married without anyone else’s permission when you turn 18.

The court considers things like how long you have been together, your maturity, your financial situation and how independent you are from your parents. If the court agrees that you can marry, you have three months to do so.

More information

Health

Sex & the law

Related publications

Am I old enough?

How we can help

Call Victoria Legal Aid’s (VLA) Legal Information Service for free information over the phone about the law and how we can help you with your legal problem. You can speak to a legal information officer in English or ask for an interpreter. Phone (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers), Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.

To find out more about any of our legal services see What we do.

Who else can help?

Kids Help Line is a free, confidential and anonymous counselling service for young people aged between 5 and 25. You can speak to a counsellor on the phone at any time of the day by calling 1800 551 800.

If you don't feel comfortable talking to someone over the phone, or if you can't get to a phone, counselling is also available the Kids Help Line website (new window) at certain times of the day, and via email. If you need help urgently, the telephone is the fastest way of getting to a counsellor.

Family Planning Victoria’s website (new window) has information about sex, sexuality and their services for young people.

The youthcentral website (new window) has information about relationships, sexuality and young people.