UK barrister wants to lower age of consent to 13!

[Violet]

Just saw this on the BBC news website, you can read the full story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22459815

I'm FUMING, especially after reading this little gem:

She said that "touching a 17-year-old's breast, kissing a 13-year-old, or putting one's hand up a 16-year-old's skirt" are not crimes comparable to gang rapes and murders and "anyone suggesting otherwise has lost touch with reality".

Rape is rape, assault is assault, regardless of the age of the victim. Just because someone is old enough to consent doesn't mean they have to.

Also lowering the age to 13 is sick and dangerous - it's 16 for a reason. The choice to engage in sexual activity is not a choice children are capable of fully comprehending or understanding the consequences.

[OkToBeTakei]

Barbara Hewson told online magazine Spiked that the move was necessary in the wake of the Savile scandal to end the "persecution of old men".

I'll join you on the fuming couch.

[Miggy]

This is just ... ugh. NO!

[Dollypeeps]

Holy shit I can't believe she said that really, I'm joining you as well fuming doesn't touch the sides here.

What the hell is wrong with these people.

[Arete]

Let's lower the age of consent because dirty old perverts/rapists can't catch a break. :angry-banghead:

[ILoveJellybeans]

No no no no no.

If you have sex with a 13 year old, watch porn with 13 year olds in, or do anything sexual towards a 13 year old, it is a crime and should be punished. Its a crime for a reason as well. A 13 year old is not able to consent to having sex with an adult, theyre too young, and any person who wants to have sex with a 13 year old has some serious problems.

[Diana]

Here in Spain the age of consent is 13, the actual goverment want to change it to 16 because its the most common age of consent in europe and because a recent case of a girl killed by her older boyfriend, it seems fine, but i dont sure since is the same people that wants to forbidden abortion and remove rigths of teenagers, like needing their parents consent for buying the morning-after pill.

[yewchapel]

I believe that the age of consent is 13 or 14 in a lot of mainland Europe and the average age teenagers lose their virginity is higher than in the UK (the Netherlands and Scandinavia do sex ed very well). So I do wonder if a lower age of consent would work, but not for the reasons the barrister said. Clearly it works in a lot of countries. But it would need that standard of sex education to work properly, with lessons on consent and abuse.

[FearLyss]

So wait, because some men can't follow the law and are being charged with crimes, this guy wants to change the law . . .to protect the poor persecuted men?? WTF! :angry-banghead:

[ILoveJellybeans]

Murder is illegal too, and people still do that. Why not decriminalise murder, so it doesnt get in the way of all these serial killers right to kill whoever they want and not be persecuted for their crimes.

[Diana]

But still in some countries the age of consent seems too high, i mean a girl of 15 having sex with her boyfriend of 18 is perfectly normal situation nowadays, but changing the age of consent he will be accused of rape?

[tropaka]

I think there might be a discussion to be had if this woman was talking about going after a 14 y/o for having sexual contact with a 13 y/o girlfriend/boyfriend, but this woman isn't talking about that - she actually speaks of a man who admitted indecent acts with a NINE YEAR OLD. She's talking about adult men fondling or molesting young girls/children saying "oh, but it's not as bad as a gang rape". Twunt.

ETA Canadian Consent Law for info - seems a 14 y/or 15 y/o can still give consent to someone up to age 19 or 20

The Age of Consent in Canada

Young People, Sex and the Law

Canadian law says that the age of consent for sexual activity is 16 years old. (previously it was 14) This law protects young people from sexual exploitation*.

By law, adults (18 or older) cannot have sexual relations with people under 16.

There are exceptions for people are in close age. Those exceptions make sure the law does not label consensual sexual activities between young people as criminal offences. It is not a criminal offence if:

a young person aged 14-15 consents to sexual activity with someone less than 5 years older

a young person aged 12 or 13 consents to sexual activity with someone less than 2 years older

These exceptions only apply if the older person is not in a position of authority or trust and there is no exploitation.

Important! By law, adults cannot have sexual relations with a person aged 16 or 17 if the adult is in a position of trust or authority over the young person. This would include coaches, teachers, and employers.

The law also says that young people under 12 cannot give consent at all.

[crazyforkate]

In Canada it used to be 14, and even when they raised it to 16 there were still "Romeo and Juliet" laws. I think those are absolutely sensible, and that there should definitely be a difference between "all ages consent" and consent as related to someone close in age to you. It makes no sense to lock up teenagers for consensually following their hormones with other teenagers.

Not that that stopped anyone, of course - I know a girl who got pregnant at 11 by a 12-year-old (her "boyfriend" at the time), how do you police that?