Chile
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on the situation of homosexuals all over the world may not be completely
accurate or up-to-date. The information is gathered on the Internet and
in other publications. If you have any additional information, corrections,
comments or suggestions, don't hesitate to contact me at
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Updated 99-03-14
Legal
The law against male homosexual acts was repealed in December 1998! Until an amendment of the constitution in 1989, homosexuality in itself was completely illegal. After that, most homosexual activities were illegal making sex between men illegal in practice. Private, consensual sex between adults could lead to up to three years' imprisonment. Homosexuals were often harassed by the police.
Gay and lesbian group MOVILH (Moviemiento de Liberacion Homosexual) has been lobbying for the repeal of the anti-gay law since 1991. In Santiago, a lesbian group called "Colectivo Ayuquelen" organized the first lesbian and gay meeting in Chile in 1987. In 1988, they received letters from right wing groups threatening to kill them.
Activists don't consider this reform a total victory, since it constitutes an age of consent for homosexuals that is higher than that permitted for heterosexual relations, but they still see it as a step forward because it decriminalizes sodomy for adults.
If you have any further information
on the current situation in Chile, please contact
me.
| Age of consent | Male-Female | Male-Male | Female-Female |
| Chile | ? | 18 (Dec. '98) | ? |
Information on the age of consent for heterosexual acts was not found, but it is lower than that for male-male sex.
Further information on the situation in Chile can be found at:
The Official Chilean Gay and Lesbian Site on The Net (see logo below)
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| Statistics:
Republic,
S. America
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