Age of Consent

[blackice]

I guess the natural progression of things does not count? Asher what is the average maturity level of kids today?

[Asher]

Asher what is the average maturity level of kids today?

453.5 macronumials.

[Monk]

Mr. Fun

However, I simply disagree --- how can a teeanger relate with a significantly older adult in an intimate/romantic relationship??

I've known several who at age 16-17 had casual sex with significantly older adults. It's not the norm of course, but it's very much possible for some people. Of course, they were mostly doing it for the pure sexual part.

[Tom201]

The age of consent is set because MOST people are deemed to be mature at that age, to the point of giving consent to have sex while knowing the consequences.

You get sex education in school. Normally at the age of 12 everyone is informed about every detail there is. That would fit perfectly the definition of knowing the consequences.

[Asher]

Tom201: Maybe it's different in Europe, but Canadian and American sex ed is more like a strictly biological "how are babies made" not about consequences.

[Sikander]

Speaking as someone who first had intercourse at age 13, I can say that when children are sexual at such a young age it usually means that something is very wrong. Usually it's sexual abuse, neglect or a combination of the two that leads children to seek out something so intense to occupy themselves with. If your 13 or 14 year old is having sex it should be a shot across the bow. There isn't time to prevent something from happening, something has already happened to your child and you had better do something about it sooner rather than later, for both of your sakes.

When younger people are attracted to and seek out older people it is usually to find a substitute for what they are missing at home, ie parents. I don't subscribe to the 'scheming teen' pornographic view of these relationships. Sure teens are more venal than average, and combined with their lack of concern for consequences they can be very aggressive. Nonetheless I fail to see how a teenager could 'take advantage' of an older person who wasn't themselves very developmentally crippled. Teenagers are extremely obvious, and it would take someone whose life experiences and mindset approached theirs to fall for it in the face of moral and legal peril. If you are an adult, then society puts the onus on you to see that you obey the law or face the consequences, regardless of your own state of mind. Growing up is not just a good idea, it's vital to having the judgement to stay out of jail.

I do understand that many adult (males anyway) are attracted to teenagers. It's pretty natural when you think about it, as most people probably had their first sexual experience with (another) teenager, and certainly at least fantasized about their more attractive peers during this time of their life. Attraction is not fate however, and acting on an attraction like this is not merely some great lay for you and a rite of passage for your young partner. You are in fact imprinting an unhealthy relationship model on your teen 'babe', and you are also doing nothing to advance your own development, which should be your pressing concern if you are behaving in this fashion.

As far as I am concerned, the age of consent (sex acts between people that age would not be illegal per se) should be 16 years of age, with the important caveat that as a minor your parents should still have a say in the matter should they become aware of it. I would be against letting anyone 3 years older than any minor have sex with a minor, which in my view should be statutory rape. This will give the government the ammunition it needs to intervene in situations that some parents should but won't (young teens and children engaging in sex) while allowing normal teens to develop their sexuality at a healthy pace, and protecting all teens to some extent from exploitation by sad a$sed older men who need to grow up and see that sex is not merely a form of recreation.

[Mr. President]

I think 16 is too low for the age of consent. Most 16-year-olds I have and do know are barely able to form coherent opinions, let alone grapple with something as complicated as sexual relationships. Such a low limit will encourage people to be casual about sex at a very young age. If you're not old enough to cast a ballot for who should run the country, how can you be old enough for sex?

[MikeH]

They are going to do it anyway, making it illegal just makes them into criminals.

Why shouldn't you be able to vote at 16 anyway? I think you should. I mean, at the moment Boddington's can vote and Red Jon can't. That's ridiculous.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Mr. President
I think 16 is too low for the age of consent. Most 16-year-olds I have and do know are barely able to form coherent opinions, let alone grapple with something as complicated as sexual relationships. Such a low limit will encourage people to be casual about sex at a very young age. If you're not old enough to cast a ballot for who should run the country, how can you be old enough for sex?

It certainly is too young for some people, but as a limit which sets the standard for when the government will step in as the last line of defense I think it is appropriate. I certainly wouldn't want people to think of it as a duty to have sex when they are 16.

[MikeH]

They don't. I didn't have sex when I was 16 even though I was allowed. Mind you, that wasn't because I didn't want to.

[Tom201]

Maybe it's different in Europe, but Canadian and American sex ed is more like a strictly biological "how are babies made" not about consequences.

So which consequences are you speaking about? Thought you meant pregnacy, or the various deceases you can get.

[MikeH]

My sex education in the UK covered the biological processes and things like safe sex, contraceptive methods (what they are, how you use them, where you get them, how effective they are etc), STD's (what they are, how you get them, what the effects are, how you prevent them etc.) and all that stuff. Very useful to know.

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by MikeH
They are going to do it anyway, making it illegal just makes them into criminals.

As the law is generally used here the 16 year old would not be charged with anything. The over 16 year old is charged with statutory rape as in the Mary Kay Laturno trial. There have been abuses though, with a male one year over the age of consent and the girlfriend slightly under.

[MikeH]

So that means it's technically legal for two kids under 16 to have sex anyway?

[Sikander]

Originally posted by MikeH
So that means it's technically legal for two kids under 16 to have sex anyway?

I'm not sure what he means, but no it's not legal. Honestly the police have better things to do than try to find kids having sex (or at least they should have better things to do), but making it illegal gives them the ability to step into situations where the parents should but won't.