[T*]

Neither
It's fine how it is

[user104658]

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.

[Calderyon]

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

[user104658]

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 . I also had a mate known as "The Jehova Casanova" which is fairly self explanatory. He was bloody unstoppable . 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 .

[Withano]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

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 .

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

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Withano

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";

Originally Posted by Meee

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.

[Withano]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

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.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Withano

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.

[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.

[Beso]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by parmnion

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.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

[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.