[brian3]

Do you think it is fair that a person who has sex with a 15 or 16 year old. Should be put in the same bracket as someone who forces themselves on a pre teen?

[Vicky.]

Hmm. Difficult one. I dont believe it is the same, but it IS still very wrong. People have to have things messed up in their heads if they fancy children.

With the older kids though, you have to take into consideration if the person in question knew the child was underage.

I disagree with people being called pedophiles for sleeping with a 15 year old who said they were older and that. I believe is was sisqo who was branded that for sleeping with some girl he met in a club...obviously you wouldnt think to question someone you met in a club about their age, especially if they looked older.

I would say having sex with younger people is a lot worse, though both are sick and disgusting if the person was knowing about it all.

[Boothy]

Should be a worse punishment the younger they go IMO. What I find most stupid though, is that someone my age (17) who is in a relationship with a 15 year old, which I would say is acceptable, and has sex with them, could technically be charged with rape.

[M X]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Hmm. Difficult one. I dont believe it is the same, but it IS still very wrong. People have to have things messed up in their heads if they fancy children.

With the older kids though, you have to take into consideration if the person in question knew the child was underage.

I disagree with people being called pedophiles for sleeping with a 15 year old who said they were older and that. I believe is was sisqo who was branded that for sleeping with some girl he met in a club...obviously you wouldnt think to question someone you met in a club about their age, especially if they looked older.

I would say having sex with younger people is a lot worse, though both are sick and disgusting if the person was knowing about it all.

This, but 16 is legal age.

[Chels]

16 is legal though? But I agree with Vicky anyway.

[Jack_]

I don't understand the question - 16 is the legal age of consent, therefore there is nothing wrong with anyone above the age of 16 having sex with someone else above the age of 16. Thus people that do this should obviously not be put into the 'same category' as over 16's who have sex with under 16's [especially 9 year olds]. The latter are criminals, the former are not. Surely that's common sense? Or am I misunderstanding the question?

[joeysteele]

Well, the difference is that at 16,that is the age of consent, as to a 15 year old well in that case its got to be the same as with a 9 year old and that's illegal but the main thrust of what you said was as to anyone who forces themself on a pre- teen up to 16, in that case forcing yourself on anyone of any age is wrong but again before 16 its not only illegal its sexual abuse.

At 16 sexual activity is legal,at 15 it isn't and the older person should have more sense, so yes its as wrong for an adult who forces or has sexual activity with a 15 year old just as it is for a 9 year old.

[Vicky.]

Oh yeah. 16 is the age of consent. i just assumed that it was a typo.

Noone would get done for sleeping with a 16 year old (unless they raped them obviously..)

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Chels

16 is legal though? But I agree with Vicky anyway.

This

[brian3]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I don't understand the question - 16 is the legal age of consent, therefore there is nothing wrong with anyone above the age of 16 having sex with someone else above the age of 16. Thus people that do this should obviously not be put into the 'same category' as over 16's who have sex with under 16's [especially 9 year olds]. The latter are criminals, the former are not. Surely that's common sense? Or am I misunderstanding the question?

ok I ment 15 then. The over all point I am making is should all types underage sex be put in the same bracket

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by brian3

ok I ment 15 then.

Well in that case no - no they should not be put into the same 'category' as adults who sleep with nine year olds. As Boothy said, the younger they are the worse it is. Personally speaking, I believe at fifteen [and no, I'm not being biased], maybe even fourteen in some cases, most teenagers nowadays [although they certainly don't show it] have the ability to consent to sexual activity and/or know the difference between 'right and wrong'. Afterall, children as young as ten can be prosecuted for criminal offences - so if it is believed that ten year olds know the difference 'between right and wrong', then why is that not the same for fifteen year olds? Of course - I'm not suggesting children as young as ten should be able to consent to sexual activity, as by then they are not fully developed yet. However kids are growing up faster nowadays - and I think at fifteen the majority have developed enough both physically and mentally to consent to sexual activity.

Irregardless of my personal views and the law though, I find it odd how anyone could suggest that an adult having sex with a fifteen year old could be placed into the 'same category' as an adult having sex with a nine year old - one is more developed [both physically and mentally] than the other - so surely it's common sense? Like Boothy said, the younger it is - the worse it is.

[Angus]

It's ridiculous that you are not considered an adult until the age of 18, yet you can legally have sex at 16, and even get married at age 16 albei only with the consent of your parents.

[joeysteele]

A 15 year old clearly has more knowledge as to sexual matters so I can see where you are coming from but the law is the law,otherwise there is no protection.

There was and still is debate that the age of consent should be brought down to 14, I am against that, but that is what would have to happen to differentiate between 14/15 year olds as opposed to under 10s engaging voluntarily or being forced into sexual activity with adults. Good topic though.

There are those who think the age of consent should be raised back again though.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Boothy

Should be a worse punishment the younger they go IMO. What I find most stupid though, is that someone my age (17) who is in a relationship with a 15 year old, which I would say is acceptable, and has sex with them, could technically be charged with rape.

In cases like these, the fact that the person "breaking the law" is only a teenager themselves should be taken into consideration.

to answer the original question, obviously the younger the victim is, the more disturbing it is but I don't think there should be different categories, an adult has no business sleeping with or chatting up children and I do consider a 14/15 year old a child.

[MeMyselfAndI]

So if a 16 year old slept with a 15 year old who was 2 days off being 16 it would be rape..

So you have to have the same birthday and same birth time for it not to be rape if you were in the same year..

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Niamhxo

In cases like these, the fact that the person "breaking the law" is only a teenager themselves should be taken into consideration.

to answer the original question, obviously the younger the victim is, the more disturbing it is but I don't think there should be different categories, an adult has no business sleeping with or chatting up children and I do consider a 14/15 year old a child.

Excellent points.Niamhxo,

It is generally taken into consideration if the person is still a teen themselves who are the older party.Often now in the case of someone 17 with a 15 year old the case would unlikely reach court if they were both consenting unless the older person was in some sort of position of trust as to minors.

I completely agree you cannot re-categorise it, otherwise all sorts of loopholes will be made available and eventually likely more children put at risk.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by MeMyselfandI

So if a 16 year old slept with a 15 year old who was 2 days off being 16 it would be rape..

So you have to have the same birthday and same birth time for it not to be rape if you were in the same year..

technically speaking it would be statutory rape but I doubt anyone would press charges in a case like that Jack.

[arista]

Originally Posted by brian3

Do you think it is fair that a person who has sex with a 15 or 16 year old. Should be put in the same bracket as someone who forces themselves on a pre teen?

No at 15
it is never the same as a 9 year old.

It is not so Black and White.

[Zippy]

These things will be taken into account in each case. Just as they are when somebody who is 16 has consentual sex with somebody who is 15.

And no, of course it isnt the same. Like, duh. The laws are there just for guidelines. Punishments are not handed out by a computer.