The age of consent. Should it be lowered to 14 or raised to 18

[Beso]

I think it should be lowered to 14 but then laws should be in place so an 18yr old cant be having sex with a 14 yr old.

[Cal.]

People will have sex whenever they want.

I'd probably lower it to 14 as I know that my friends were having sex at 14/15 and they definitely felt old enough and ready for it.

[Brillopad]

I think it should be lowered to 14 but then laws should be in place so an 18yr old cant be having sex with a 14 yr old.

No - they are too young. It would give randy 14 - 17 year-old boys an excuse to pressurise/force gullible young girls. Besides it won't happen - we are not that liberal.

[Cal.]

Also from my experience, girls at that age enjoy having sex and sleeping around just as much as boys do.

[joeysteele]

On balance I'd leave it at 16.
You couldn't also really have a legal age of consent at 14 then have laws prohibiting choice.
It wouldn't be a legal age of consent then.

It certainly should not be raised to 18, not at all.

A compromise could be make it 15.
I really believe if 15 year olds wish to,they will be doing so anyway.

[joeysteele]

Also from my experience, girls at that age enjoy having sex and sleeping around just as much as boys do.

Exactly each gender is likely no different as to that at all.
Well said.

[Beso]

On balance I'd leave it at 16.
You couldn't also really have a legal age of consent at 14 then have laws prohibiting choice.
It wouldn't be a legal age of consent then.

It certainly should not be raised to 18, not at all.

A compromise could be make it 15.
I really believe if 15 year olds wish to,they will be doing so anyway.

It works in germany where the age of consent is 14 as they have a law that a 21 yr old cant have sex with a 14 yr old..they also have one of the lowest teenage pregnancy records in western europe.. britain has the highest.

[Brillopad]

Also from my experience, girls at that age enjoy having sex and sleeping around just as much as boys do.

From my experience lots of young girls feel pressurised by boys, therefore effectively forced, before they are ready. it's bad enough for 16 year olds, we certainly shouldn't be putting that pressure on 14 year-old girls. They are being forced to 'grow up' too soon.

[joeysteele]

Well that's a conditional age of consent not a full legal age of consent.

Maybe it works there but that doesn't ensure it would here.

Better education on the issue maybe would help.
However you either have a legal age of consent or not, if you are limited to who you can consent to then that is not free choice at all.


Someone 16 can consent to someone in their 20s and beyond.
To me there's no point in saying someone can consent at 14 but not to anyone 18 or over.

[Brillopad]

It works in germany where the age of consent is 14 as they have a law that a 21 yr old cant have sex with a 14 yr old..they also have one of the lowest teenage pregnancy records in western europe.. britain has the highest.

That still leaves grown men to manipulate and take advantage of children. So you think it's ok for a 20 year-old man to have sex with a 14 year-old child! It's verging on paedophillia. We need to protect young girls not make them more vulnerable to selfish young men with one thing on their minds.

[Beso]

That still leaves grown men to manipulate and take advantage of children. So you think it's ok for a 20 year-old man to have sex with a 14 year-old child! It's verging on paedophillia. We need to protect young girls not make them more vulnerable to selfish young men with one thing on their minds.

I was seeing it more from a 14 yr old boy with a 20 yr old girl.

But no, i dont see that as ok so i would like it to have the 21 yr old limit they have in germany reduced to 16 here.

[Mystic Mock]

15 or 16 as they're the most healthy and realistic ages to expect people to hold off having sex for.

[Mystic Mock]

That still leaves grown men to manipulate and take advantage of children. So you think it's ok for a 20 year-old man to have sex with a 14 year-old child! It's verging on paedophillia. We need to protect young girls not make them more vulnerable to selfish young men with one thing on their minds.

I think most people around my age probably like girls at age 17 onwards so wouldn't be attempting to go for a 14 year old.

[Niamh.]

14 is far too young imo

[Withano]

That still leaves grown men to manipulate and take advantage of children. So you think it's ok for a 20 year-old man to have sex with a 14 year-old child! It's verging on paedophillia. We need to protect young girls not make them more vulnerable to selfish young men with one thing on their minds.

I knew the day that we agree on something would come eventually! Look at us being all PC together! Although we need to protect young people of both genders.
The average age men lose their V is a lot younger than the age women do, suggesting there are more older women out for younger men than vice versa.

[Withano]

The legal age should not be lowered, and I dont see a reason for it to be any higher either really.

Having the legal age at 16 - still - encourages those approaching this age to have sex, because they are nearly there anyway. I believe this logic will still exist if the legal age was lowered to 14 and thats verging on prepubescent.

[Livia]

I think it's only by getting a little older that you realise what a baby you are at 14.

[Niamh.]

The legal age should not be lowered, and I dont see a reason for it to be any higher either really.

Having the legal age at 16 - still - encourages those approaching this age to have sex, because they are nearly there anyway. I believe this logic will still exist if the legal age was lowered to 14 and thats verging on prepubescent.

Yep, my son just turned 13, he's still in primary school, still has a childs voice and is no where near getting ready to shave yet.....that's one year away from 14

I think it's only by getting a little older that you realise what a baby you are at 14.

100%

[Tom4784]

Leave it as it is, the idea of adults sleeping with 14 year olds legally is repulsive.

[Brillopad]

I knew the day that we agree on something would come eventually! Look at us being all PC together! Although we need to protect young people of both genders.
The average age men lose their V is a lot younger than the age women do, suggesting there are more older women out for younger men than vice versa.

Yes we may agree on the first bit, not sure about the second. I just can't imagine girls/women 16+ being interested in boys of 14. They usually want a bit of 'sophistication' and it's unlikely any 14 year-old would fit the bill.

[Withano]

Yes we may agree on the first bit, not sure about the second. I just can't imagine girls/women 16+ being interested in boys of 14. They usually want a bit of 'sophistication' and it's unlikely any 14 year-old would fit the bill.

Yes its a sickening thought, but it happens.


Young people of both genders need protection from people like this, and a law change to a lower legal age of consent is not the way to do that.

[Niamh.]

Yeah I would agree with Brillo on that Withano, I would have thought it's far more common for men to be with younger woman/girls than vice versa.

[Beso]

Im not too sure if someone not grown up enough mentally at the age of 14 would suddenly become mature enough to be having sex at 16. It does seem to work in Germany though.

I lost my virginity at 14 to a 16 yr old girl.

[Withano]

Im not too sure if someone not grown up enough mentally at the age of 14 would suddenly become mature enough to be having sex at 16. It does seem to work in Germany though.

I lost my virginity at 14 to a 16 yr old girl.

There are huge developmental changes that typically goes on between 14 and 16...

[VanessaFeltz.]

Having sex at the age of 14 is disturbing and disgusting

[Brillopad]

Yeah I would disagree with Brillo on that Withano, I would have thought it's far more common for men to be with younger woman/girls than vice versa.

Not sure I'm reading that right Niamh, did you mean to say you disagreed with my point that I think it unlikely older girls/women would find younger boys attractive?

Oops just seen your correction.

[Beso]

There are huge developmental changes that typically goes on between 14 and 16...

Not mentally though.

[Niamh.]

Im not too sure if someone not grown up enough mentally at the age of 14 would suddenly become mature enough to be having sex at 16. It does seem to work in Germany though.

I lost my virginity at 14 to a 16 yr old girl.

Personally I think 16 is too young as well, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Also, 2 years when you're a child/teenager means a lot more than when you're an adult.

And, besides the question of whether you're mentally ready for it, what about if you get someone pregnant or catch a disease? It's your parents then who need to pick up the pieces and sort your mess out because 9 times out of 10 you aren't financially or emotionally equipped to deal with stuff like that

[Withano]

Yeah I would agree with Brillo on that Withano, I would have thought it's far more common for men to be with younger woman/girls than vice versa.

I would say relationships are more common for older men and younger girls (although I dont have stats for this, it just seems more plausible)... but on average, more young men lose their virginity to someone significantly older than them, whilst young women are more likely to lose theirs to somebody of a similar age.

[Niamh.]

Not sure I'm reading that right Niamh, did you mean to say you disagreed with my point that I think it unlikely older girls/women would find younger boys attractive?

Oops just seen your correction.

sorry, typo :laugh:

[Beso]

Having sex at the age of 14 is disturbing and disgusting

Well i didnt see it that way when i did.

[Withano]

Not mentally though.

I would say there absolutely is.
Physically, mentally, emotionally, developmentally, 14 year olds and 16 year olds are not the same.

[Niamh.]

I would say there absolutely is.
Physically, mentally, emotionally, developmentally, 14 year olds and 16 year olds are not the same.

Every year is huge when you're that age in every respect, I agree

[Niamh.]

I would say relationships are more common for older men and younger girls (although I dont have stats for this, it just seems more plausible)... but on average, more young men lose their virginity to someone significantly older than them, whilst young women are more likely to lose theirs to somebody of a similar age.

Gross. I'll have to take you word for that

[Beso]

Personally I think 16 is too young as well, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Also, 2 years when you're a child/teenager means a lot more than when you're an adult.

And, besides the question of whether you're mentally ready for it, what about if you get someone pregnant or catch a disease? It's your parents then who need to pick up the pieces and sort your mess out because 9 times out of 10 you aren't financially or emotionally equipped to deal with stuff like that

But kids will have sex whatever the age limit is so will risk getting pregnant anyway.

The parents should pick up the pieces as well for not educating their kids on the risks in the first place.

Even if the age is 16 or 18 there are still a huge amount of people who couldnt financially support a kid..doeant seem to stop the never ending parade of idiots we see on j kyle every day.

Anyway, it seems to work in germany and is worth considering.

[Withano]

But kids will have sex whatever the age limit is so will risk getting pregnant anyway.
.

But dont you think that actual children (aged 11/12) would be more encouraged to have sex if the age of consent was 14 as opposed to 16. This is my biggest concern on the topic tbh.

[jennyjuniper]

I think it should be lowered to 14 but then laws should be in place so an 18yr old cant be having sex with a 14 yr old.

I think it's fine at 16. Some 14 year olds are mature for their age, others not and for those who are not, they make easy prey for adults. What's so wrong with allowing children to be children for as long as possible.?

[Niamh.]

But kids will have sex whatever the age limit is so will risk getting pregnant anyway.

The parents should pick up the pieces as well for not educating their kids on the risks in the first place.

Even if the age is 16 or 18 there are still a huge amount of people who couldnt financially support a kid..doeant seem to stop the never ending parade of idiots we see on j kyle every day.

Anyway, it seems to work in germany and is worth considering.

If the only thing that stood in the way of teenagers getting pregnant or not was sex education than there would be virtually no teenage pregnancies..... That's like saying if people were warned of the health risks of smoking then no one would smoke :laugh:

[Beso]

I would say there absolutely is.
Physically, mentally, emotionally, developmentally, 14 year olds and 16 year olds are not the same.

Ok. But the kids risk..16 yr olds are not mature enough or life savvy enough to have kids..so why is the age of consent 16?

If sex is there to be enjoyed and not for reproduction then why not lower it to 14 so it can be enjoyed by people who feel mature enough to mess aroumd?

[Brillopad]

But kids will have sex whatever the age limit is so will risk getting pregnant anyway.

The parents should pick up the pieces as well for not educating their kids on the risks in the first place.

Even if the age is 16 or 18 there are still a huge amount of people who couldnt financially support a kid..doeant seem to stop the never ending parade of idiots we see on j kyle every day.

Anyway, it seems to work in germany and is worth considering.

No it's not, and I have to say I am surprised at Germany. Young girls need protecting from predatory adult men.

[Beso]

But dont you think that actual children (aged 11/12) would be more encouraged to have sex if the age of consent was 14 as opposed to 16. This is my biggest concern on the topic tbh.

Hmmm.. maybe. Not sure how many 11/12 yr olds know the age of consent atm so it may not be an issue.

[Withano]

Ok. But the kids risk..16 yr olds are not mature enough or life savvy enough to have kids..so why is the age of consent 16?

If sex is there to be enjoyed and not for reproduction then why not lower it to 14 so it can be enjoyed by people who feel mature enough to mess aroumd?

Because those approaching that age will be encouraged to do so, and thats just not a suitable thing to suggest + the tens of other reasons others have brought up.

[LukeB]

No it should stay how it is.

14 year olds are not even an adult and some like to sleep with older people so a older person sleeping with someone who is not an adult is well disgusting

[Niamh.]

Ok. But the kids risk..16 yr olds are not mature enough or life savvy enough to have kids..so why is the age of consent 16?

If sex is there to be enjoyed and not for reproduction then why not lower it to 14 so it can be enjoyed by people who feel mature enough to mess aroumd?

No they're not but they're atleast closer to having finished school...I think 16 is too young as well by the way. It's actually 17 in Ireland which I think is better.

[Beso]

No it's not, and I have to say I am surprised at Germany. Young girls need protecting from predatory adult men.

Which is why they have the other side to the law, 21 though..should have made it 16

[Withano]

Which is why they have the other side to the law, 21 though..should have made it 16

Its a good law to have in place though, I think the UK could follow in Germanys footsteps here, and have it so 16/17 year olds can only have sex with people up to age 18 or 21 or something. It unnerves me that a 16 year old can legally date anyone

[Greg!]

16 is a sensible age. Any younger would be ridiculous, my little brother is 14 but he still looks about 10. Also it would pressure really young people into having sex when they might not necessarily be ready.

[Deirdre]

when I was 14 I thought I was straight :laugh: I was also very emotionally immature, as was everyone in my class. It was only when we were about 15/16 we copped on a bit and I was starting to realize my sexuality which really says that I was growing up. I think 16/17 is the right age.

[joeysteele]

I think it's fine at 16. Some 14 year olds are mature for their age, others not and for those who are not, they make easy prey for adults. What's so wrong with allowing children to be children for as long as possible.?

I think 16 as it is now should be how it stays as I said earlier too.
Really good points in your post.

[Kizzy]

Urgh no, just no.

Call me old fashioned but it's just weird, that's the gawky teenage phase a kind of transitional period. No place for all those shennanigans :/

[Redway]

It obviously shouldn't be lowered to 14. What the hell?

[T*]

Neither
It's fine how it is

[Cherie]

It works in germany where the age of consent is 14 as they have a law that a 21 yr old cant have sex with a 14 yr old..they also have one of the lowest teenage pregnancy records in western europe.. britain has the highest.

How would that work in the U.K.? Lower the age and suddenly kids start using all the free contraception available to them? It might be a better idea to stop sexualising children, sex is shoved down our throats literally, even so called "family" viewing like soaps can't go a week without a sexual storyline, Britain is obsessed with sex and not in a healthy way. 16 is fine, 14 is a bit creepy, I'm not saying there aren't mature 14 year olds but they are few and far between

[Toy Soldier]

Decriminalise (but don't encourage) from 14 but only with other teens up to age 17, keep the age of across the board consent at 16. Covers all scenarios, I think.

I don't think young teens should be having sex, but it does happen and nothing is going to stop that. Having teenagers end up with criminal records and sometimes on the sex offenders register for having sex with other teenagers is a ridiculous situation.

[Northern Monkey]

14 is far too young imoThis^

People are still immature at 16 nevermind 14.I'd leave it at 16.That's the absolute minimum i reckon.

[Beso]

How would that work in the U.K.? Lower the age and suddenly kids start using all the free contraception available to them? It might be a better idea to stop sexualising children, sex is shoved down our throats literally, even so called "family" viewing like soaps can't go a week without a sexual storyline, Britain is obsessed with sex and not in a healthy way. 16 is fine, 14 is a bit creepy, I'm not saying there aren't mature 14 year olds but they are few and far between

Its a bit creepy cause of the thoughts that go through our heads qhen we think of it.

I bet there are a good few married couples out there that knew eachother when they were 14.

I can remember some of my strongest feelings of love were when i was round about that age. You must remember finishing with your boyfriend at that age.

I remember how sore i would feel inside and how i would sit alone iny bedroom at home listening to sad songs.

So 2 well sexually educated consenting 14 yr olds obviously in love should not be denied by law to share in the joys of sex?

[Niamh.]

Its a bit creepy cause of the thoughts that go through our heads qhen we think of it.

I bet there are a good few married couples out there that knew eachother when they were 14.

I can remember some of my strongest feelings of love were when i was round about that age. You must remember finishing with your boyfriend at that age.

I remember how sore i would feel inside and how i would sit alone iny bedroom at home listening to sad songs.

So 2 well sexually educated consenting 14 yr olds obviously in love should not be denied by law to share in the joys of sex?

Yes because they're bloody kids, jesus, a lot of girls haven't even had their first period at 14 :/ They should be thinking about school and their exams etc not the bloody joys of sex

[Beso]

Yes because they're bloody kids, jesus, a lot of girls haven't even had their first period at 14 :/ They should be thinking about school and their exams etc not the bloody joys of sex

Nah.

Sex could be the answer. I know it relieves the stress of my day. So it could aid exam results thus making them better more educated adults as they didnt suffer from the stress that the pressure thats put on them from pushy parents to get good exam results...its either that or weed.

[Niamh.]

Nah.

Sex could be the answer. I know it relieves the stress of my day. So it could aid exam results thus making them better more educated adults as they didnt suffer from the stress that the pressure thats put on them from pushy parents to get good exam results...its either that or weed.

I hope you are not calling me a pushy parent? Sorry about that I'll just go tell my kids to go smoke a joint and have a ride instead of trying to do well at school :umm2:

[Beso]

I hope you are not calling me a pushy parent? Sorry about that I'll just go tell my kids to go smoke a joint and have a ride instead of trying to do well at school :umm2:

Of course not. I would never be as personal as that.:nono:

Maybe they could do a little of both and do really well at school.


A ride.:joker: now that takes me back to my teenage years.

[Calderyon]

You don´t have to have sex to relieve stress. You can do it solo.

[Cherie]

Its a bit creepy cause of the thoughts that go through our heads qhen we think of it.

I bet there are a good few married couples out there that knew eachother when they were 14.

I can remember some of my strongest feelings of love were when i was round about that age. You must remember finishing with your boyfriend at that age.

I remember how sore i would feel inside and how i would sit alone iny bedroom at home listening to sad songs.

So 2 well sexually educated consenting 14 yr olds obviously in love should not be denied by law to share in the joys of sex?

So because of your own experiences at 14 you want the age of consent reduced, 80 per cent of 14 year olds are not ready for a mature sexual relationship, no one can stop two consenting 14 years old from having a relationship, anymore than an 18 tag can stop pre 18s drinking alcohol or smoking or watching movies, lowering the age of consent would put huge pressure on the majority of early teens who are nowhere near ready, and I still don't see how it's going to reduce teen pregnancies maybe you could explain that one to me? Okay so Germany has a lower rate but I don't know what goes on in Germany with regard to sex education or the sexualisation of children which is an issue here in the UK

[Toy Soldier]

I think the issue though is what we would ideally like teens to be doing and what they actually are doing... and younger teens do have sex. It's not a new or modern thing either, it has always happened... kids physically mature at different rates and some become sexually active younger. You can't just pretend it doesn't happen because it would be better if it didn't, and you also can't stop it from happening. It's not about family or background either. The "youngest couple" I knew at school who were having regular sex were 13, and they were both from very "middle class families". They had a very intense relationship for 13, but to be fair, they were still together when they were 20 :shrug:. I also had a mate known as "The Jehova Casanova" which is fairly self explanatory. He was bloody unstoppable :joker:. So yeah... I think we have to be realistic and say that it does happen. Try to make it happen less with education - but remove the criminal element when it's teens with other teens. I mean, no, I wouldn't want my daughter to be having sex at 14, but if she DOES, consensually... lets say with a 16 year old boy... I certainly wouldn't want the boy being charged with statutory rape or ending up with a criminal record / on a watch list :umm2:.

[Withano]

I mean, no, I wouldn't want my daughter to be having sex at 14, but if she DOES, consensually... lets say with a 16 year old boy... I certainly wouldn't want the boy being charged with statutory rape or ending up with a criminal record / on a watch list :umm2:.

What if she "consensually" has sex with a 40 year old bloke?

[Toy Soldier]

What if she "consensually" has sex with a 40 year old bloke?

Well that's why as above I said it should be decriminalised for "teens having sex with other teens";


Decriminalise (but don't encourage) from 14 but only with other teens up to age 17, keep the age of across the board consent at 16. Covers all scenarios, I think.

[Beso]

So because of your own experiences at 14 you want the age of consent reduced, 80 per cent of 14 year olds are not ready for a mature sexual relationship, no one can stop two consenting 14 years old from having a relationship, anymore than an 18 tag can stop pre 18s drinking alcohol or smoking or watching movies, lowering the age of consent would put huge pressure on the majority of early teens who are nowhere near ready, and I still don't see how it's going to reduce teen pregnancies maybe you could explain that one to me? Okay so Germany has a lower rate but I don't know what goes on in Germany with regard to sex education or the sexualisation of children which is an issue here in the UK



You cant deny it works in germany and every other western european country in reducing teen pregnancies the stats say it all. It can't be a coincidence. Nor can it be denied that britain is ****ed due to the parenting of kids when you look at the teenage pregnancies in other countries that are not western eoropean but have the same age of consent as germany etc.Only britain comes close to matching them and our age of consent varies from 7 to 1 year difference. In all cases the higher.

[DemolitionRed]

No... our daughter looked like a 12 year old when she was 14. The sort of people she would of attracted at 14 were certainly the wrong sort of blokes. Even now I find it difficult when some older men can't stop looking at her. She's 18 but she looks like she's about 15, especially without make-up on.

[arista]

It obviously shouldn't be lowered to 14. What the hell?


I agree Redway.

[Withano]

Well that's why as above I said it should be decriminalised for "teens having sex with other teens";

Fair, I just dont think making stringent rules about what age each age can have sex with is a more effective method than right now, and I'd sooner want to see the age of consent heightened than anything else.

[Beso]

No... our daughter looked like a 12 year old when she was 14. The sort of people she would of attracted at 14 were certainly the wrong sort of blokes. Even now I find it difficult when some older men can't stop looking at her. She's 18 but she looks like she's about 15, especially without make-up on.

Im sure a few young lads in her class found her attractive though. So why should a parents paranoia efgect the chances of a meaningful relationship.

[Brillopad]

Im sure a few young lads in her class found her attractive though. So why should a parents paranoia efgect the chances of a meaningful relationship.

Chances are she wouldn't find them attractive at 14. Some meaningful relationship they were likely to have at 14 anyway. Besides if he liked her enough he would wait. 14 year olds don't need to be having sex.

[Brillopad]

I hope you are not calling me a pushy parent? Sorry about that I'll just go tell my kids to go smoke a joint and have a ride instead of trying to do well at school :umm2:

World's gone mad.

[Jamie89]

Personally I wouldn't have thought about having sex at 14, although I know some people who did lose their virginity around that age. But the argument of 'if people are going to do it anyway then it should be legalised' isn't one I agree with, I mean we don't apply that logic to other crimes. And as it is now it protects the children who aren't ready. If some kids do want to have sex, and are having sex regardless of the law anyway, then why change the law to fit with what they're doing? Why let those children dictate what the minimum age should be over the children who aren't having sex? Doesn't seem necessary at all to me and I don't see what benefit there would be?? There would however be huge social pressure put on them from other kids at school to start having sex and to put 14 year olds (and especially ones who aren't physically/emotionally mature) in a situation where they're going to have face that I actually think is quite cruel.
Keep the legal age as it is and just focus on sex education so that if some under 16's do decide to have sex, at least they can be educated and protected, without all of them being encouraged/pressured.

[joeysteele]

Personally I wouldn't have thought about having sex at 14, although I know some people who did lose their virginity around that age. But the argument of 'if people are going to do it anyway then it should be legalised' isn't one I agree with, I mean we don't apply that logic to other crimes. And as it is now it protects the children who aren't ready. If some kids do want to have sex, and are having sex regardless of the law anyway, then why change the law to fit with what they're doing? Why let those children dictate what the minimum age should be over the children who aren't having sex? Doesn't seem necessary at all to me and I don't see what benefit there would be?? There would however be huge social pressure put on them from other kids at school to start having sex and to put 14 year olds (and especially ones who aren't physically/emotionally mature) in a situation where they're going to have face that I actually think is quite cruel.
Keep the legal age as it is and just focus on sex education so that if some under 16's do decide to have sex, at least they can be educated and protected, without all of them being encouraged/pressured.

Really good post Jamie.

Just about covers all angles to this question,very thought provoking.

[Tozzie]

I don't think it should be lowered 14 is far too young to be having sex, babies having babies but 14 year old girls these days look and act 20

[Calderyon]

And no the age of consent should be 16 although i think i would personally raise it to 17. Or even 18.

[Toy Soldier]

Fair, I just dont think making stringent rules about what age each age can have sex with is a more effective method than right now, and I'd sooner want to see the age of consent heightened than anything else.

I'd have no problem with the age of full adult consent being raised to 18 SO LONG AS the legal side of it was taking a "common sense" approach, and not handing out punishments or criminal records when BOTH are younger. I've heard of some ridiculous cases in the past... e.g. a friend of my sister in law almost being charged for having "child pornography" on his phone because he (aged 18) had a picture of his 17 year old girlfriend naked. Which is madness, let's face it.

[Marsh.]

I think it's fine at 16. I don't think it's quite necessary to make it 18 but it shouldn't be lowered.

[Marsh.]

People will have sex whenever they want.

I'd probably lower it to 14 as I know that my friends were having sex at 14/15 and they definitely felt old enough and ready for it.

But that's not the point surely?

Changing a law because "people will do it anyway" isn't really valid IMO.