Reading in the news there is a move to lowed the age of consent to 15 to aid young people getting easier access to sexual health. I didn’t realise there was a block on 15 year olds getting advice and support. But my question would be where do we stop 14? 13? Personally I don’t think we need a change at all.

After the comment of Barrister Barabara Hewson calling for the age of consent to be lowered to 13 to stop the persecution of old me I see it as very dangerous to make any changes. Barabara Hewson is obviously very misguided in that these old men have preyed on and emotionally damaged many of these young people.

It’s the age of consent that she wants lowered. That makes no difference to the fact the consent still needs to be given, so nobody is being put at risk. She’s not proposing changes to statutory rape laws. If the AoC were lowered to 13, it could make discussion and education simpler at a time when many people start to become sexually active.

It’s not just old men that prey on the young.

I’d disagree Three Fish. Statutory rape can be committed with consent; that is the purpose of the Age of Consent – to protect those considered too young emotionally to give considered consent.
Rape without consent is rape, whatever the age.

We need to sort out the ages of consent/responsibility in this country – you can work and pay tax but not vote, get married and have sex but not photograph yourself doing it, do quite a lot before you can drive…..

Not sure what the answer/correct age is, but we need some consistency

My (then) 18 yo BiL was very proud of having booked a hotel across the water in Dublin for his gf’s 16th. He was less pleased when, in the car to the ferryport at Holyhead, his mum gave him a little talk about the birds and the bees, and the small matter of the age of consent being 17 in RoI! 😆

I’d disagree Three Fish. Statutory rape can be committed with consent; that is the purpose of the Age of Consent – to protect those considered too young emotionally to give considered consent.
Rape without consent is rape, whatever the age.

It’s the OP you’re disagreeing with, not me. I said that the changing of the AoC does not affect statutory rape law, which seemed to be what the OP is fearful of. To quote myself:

She’s not proposing changes to statutory rape laws.

I don’t know how you’ve misread my post.

No its not ‘a move’. Its one person disproportionally grabbing the headlines.
Ergo its a non-story.

Well, lowering the age of consent at which the law applies is quite a major change.
A lot of people would consider that 13 to 15 year olds would be put at risk as they are likely to be often too young to give considered consent, hence the protection of the law. Changing the age at which a law applies is effectively a change to that law, surely?

Its a major change I agree, its the considered consent and emotional capabilities of the young people I would be concerned about. If advice is difficult for young people to get then that is what needs to change and I do not see the need to change the age of consent to do that.

My daughter is 17 and, from what she tells me, the numbers of girls reaching their 16th birthday as virgins is remarkably low so it could be argued that the law is somewhat behind at the moment. However, I think we probably have it about right.

I do agree that some of the other age restrictions need reviewed though. That you can be taxed at 16 and yet can’t vote for the government that will spend your taxes really is undemocratic.

Meanwhile, and at the risk of upsetting someone for picking up on spelling mistakes…..

🙂

The argument seems to be that as it’s happening anyway lets legalise it,which is a novel approach to law enforcement!

Reading in the news there is a move to lowed the age of consent to 15 to aid young people getting easier access to sexual health. I didn’t realise there was a block on 15 year olds getting advice and support. But my question would be where do we stop 14? 13? Personally I don’t think we need a change at all.

Offer sexual health advice/services to anyone but inform them of the legalities?

Or is that too much like common sense?

The fact that you are are deemed old enough and responsible enough to drive but not drink in this country always baffles me!

Good point. You should be able to drink and drive at any age 🙂

Tom B – Member
The fact that you are are deemed old enough and responsible enough to drive but not drink in this country always baffles me!

Driving is an enabler to work, education and much more. Drinking is not, it also has health implications so not a bad idea to restrict it’s sale.

@scotroutes that definitely is a typo, honest 😀

Three_Fish – Member
It’s the age of consent that she wants lowered. That makes no difference to the fact the consent still needs to be given, so nobody is being put at risk.

Couldn’t disagree more Three_Fish. It’s another age group of young people (15-16) having a legal choice that they won’t necessarily and in fact are less likely to be emotionally equipped to deal with.

Lower age of consent to 15? Really? Whereas that might be applicable to females who (according to published NHS data) on average reach physical maturity by 15, males don’t do so until 18; the current age limit of 16 already legalises paedophilia (‘paedo’ meaning ‘child’ in the medical sense, nothing at all to do with any arbitrary age limits which change from country to country and culture to culture). If people were REALLY concerned (instead of merely pretending to be concerned) about paedophilia, they’d want the age of consent raising to 21 (when the vast majority of both sexes will have reached physical maturity).

FYI. The age under which no consent can be given and statutory rape starts is 13.

The fact that you are are deemed old enough and responsible enough to drive but not drink in this country always baffles me!

Legal age for drinking is 5 in the UK.

Those crazy Germans have it set at 14 – in France it’s 15. The more important issue is not the absolute age, it’s the age difference – I know that’s factored in in some countries.

I don’t think there’s an easy answer, but equally the nonsense of recruiting children into the army needs to be sorted.

My daughter is 17 and, from what she tells me, the numbers of girls reaching their 16th birthday as virgins is remarkably low

hmmmmmm, 16 yr old girls lying about their sex lives to their mates…that never happens. 😆