Age of consent lowered?

[Trina]

The age of consent refers to the age at which a person’s consent to have sex is recognised as valid in the eyes of the law. Men (and sometimes women, depending upon local law) who engage in sexual activity with young men or women below this age are therefore guilty of a criminal offence. This is true even if it was the young person who wanted to have sex and ‘fully consented’ to it – the agreement of the person below the age of consent is simply invalid in the eyes of the law. Yet in many countries this offence (often called ‘statutory rape’, as in the USA) is one that is very severely punished, sometimes with a sentence of up to life imprisonment. It is the combination of these factors that make age of consent laws highly controversial.

In some other parts of the world this is what there age consent is

no sex with anyone below 16 in England, 16 in most parts of Australia, 14 in Canada, and varying from state to state between 13 and 18 in the U.S.A


Do you think the age of constent should be lowered? Wether it's yes or no, what are your reasons behind it?

[ozgooner]

i don't have children yet but when i do and if i have a daughter i would make the age of consent for her at 35
but seriously no lower than 16 methinks , there is allready to many teenage pregnancies . it saddens me to see young girls who look around 14/15 pushing a child around in a pram . i don't think they can handle the implications of engaging in sex ( an unwanted pregnancy ) at such early ages

[chrisbishop69]

guys always come off worse with these laws, wot is both ppl r under 16 coz i was 15 and my ex was 15

[She_Gunner_Wales]

I dont think the age of consent should be lowered, i see where Chris is coming from with both teens, but if it were to be lowered to 13 or 14 it would only legalise paedaphilia to an extent in the uk.

NO NO NO!

I think its India where the age of consent is 13 if the couple are married, im not against arranged marriage as this is part of their way of life....but 13??? it sickens me.

[chrisbishop69]

yer 13 is wrong i think 16 is a gd age tbh and 18 is too old imo

[whee]

almost 15 would be cool... i've got a neighbour who will be a stunner.

I feel dirty for looking....

[ken day]

16 is low enough, but some of the 14-15 year old look about 18

[REG]

I'm 16 & been told i look 20 so some can get away with it

[rvtheace]

I think its India where the age of consent is 13 if the couple are married, im not against arranged marriage as this is part of their way of life....but 13??? it sickens me.

Really? Thanks for the info.

[ScottishLass]

yer 13 is wrong i think 16 is a gd age tbh and 18 is too old imo

I know this is rich coming from me but I dont think it would be such a bad thing raising it to 18.. coz i know when i was younger 15-18 I was just humping anything for the sake of it no real meaning to it really... I guess you could say I didnt really know what it meant to have sex until I was that age, late bloomer or just thick or are others like me? Could be a point raised to get the age limit raised ...

[CLS]

it should be 16
but all kids now days seem to be ready for it a lot sonner than when i was a lad

[REG]

I know this is rich coming from me but I dont think it would be such a bad thing raising it to 18.. coz i know when i was younger 15-18 I was just humping anything for the sake of it no real meaning to it really... I guess you could say I didnt really know what it meant to have sex until I was that age, late bloomer or just thick or are others like me? Could be a point raised to get the age limit raised ...

Very honest of you to know & learn by your mistakes
Sex is one thing but imagine what else kids get up too around the day time
I knew alot of kids that would skip school & knew they weren't best bought up
First there's the smoking, then the drinking, then sex, then the kid & so on
It may not be the case for everyone but most kids do have meanless intercourses with each other
I couldn't give two shites what they do for fun as i stay out of the way & want to move on with my life
But even if the age limit was rasied to 18 then it would be worse as alot more kids & young adults will just keep doing it as a 2 year hike won't stop people

[SE13]

The legal age in this Country was 11 until child prostitution became a problem, and this is the only reason that 16 is the guideline. Northern Ireland is 17, England, Wales and Scotland is 16. France is 14 (I think) and Holland 11 (with parental consent).

It's a touchy one, whereby if you have a daughter you'd want the age raising, but if you are a lusty 13 year old lad, you want it lowering.

Thing is, no matter how much you try to keep your daughter locked up until she's 21, if she wants to go out there and do it, she will!

Sex education seems to be quite appalling these days, and with so many teenage pregnancies, perhaps lowering the age, but educating the children properly is the right way forward. Would that make things better? Being legal would mean less of the fumbled incidents, and with better education, a better outlook on the potential consequences.

But then again, I'm 39 years old. Having the legal right to have sex with a 14 or 11 year old girl...???

[REG]

Yuk not for me, i would want them to be more grown up than a child
Sex Ed i never got going to a catholic school but i know Pody schools do teach it which i don't think very well though

[SE13]

This is the thing, you see. One of our local neighbours has a 13 year old who has boobs to match Dolly Parton, and she has been "active" for 3 years. Needless to say her nickname is "Bike". She looks as grown up as an 18-20 year old, and is possibly as experienced. If she told you she was 20, I'll wager you wouldn't know!!