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Age of Consent

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by iiimee, Feb 17, 2016.

?

At what age should people be able to legally "do it"?

  1. 15 or younger

    11.5%
  2. 16

    36.9%
  3. 17

    8.2%
  4. 18

    36.9%
  5. 19

    1.6%
  6. 20

    1.6%
  7. 21+ (Please say the age in comments!)

    0.8%
  8. Other (Explain)

    2.5%
  1. headsup1958

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    I say 18 years old. And here's why: As an older gay guy (57, recently out) I would absolutely think it was messed up for me to be having sex legally with a 16 year old. Further more, as a PARENT (which I am, tho my kids are ~30+) I'd be pissed beyond belief if I found out someone more than 5 years older messed with my 16 year old. Just saying.
     
  2. warholwendy

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    Age of consent here depends on the age of both people involved. If everyone is under 21 then it's 14 and if one person is over 21 then it's 17

    That's a pretty good way to do it
     
  3. Foz

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    That's sort of my train of thought (although I feel yours is perhaps a bit too liberal!), I would say lower it to 13, however it would have the proviso that under the age of 16 the maximum age difference is two years, exceeding that would be a crime. In the UK it is technically a crime for two underagers to have sex but the Crown Prosecution Service will never pursue a case under those circumstances. Nonetheless kids are told in school that the legal age of consent is 16, 3 UK university reports in recent times have revealed the harm of our consent laws - teens under the age of 16 are 3 times less likely to go to their doctor with STD/sex concerns or just to get free condoms out of fear of prosecution or punishment. Teens are starting puberty much earlier in modern times and the average age to lose your virginity in the UK is 16.1, that means half the teens in the country are having sex for the first time without the adequate support needed and many will be 15 with a partner who is only a few months older than them, but in the eyes of the law it is statutory rape.

    You're never going to stop teens having sex, so it's time to have the legislation based on our reality.
     
  4. Skaros

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    I think 18 should be the minimum age for everyone to be with else 18+.

    However, I do think there should be some leniency when you have a small age gap. Anyone 16 and 17 should be allowed to be with someone within 2 years of their age (that is at least 16 years old). Such as a 16 year old being allowed with an 18 year old but not allowing a 16 year old and 19 year old. 16 should be the very minimum where consent age is legally applied. 15 and under should not be allowed, but de jure law would be hard to enforce if it's just teens with other teens. I guess don't allow 15 and under to have sex, but don't spend any effort trying to enforce the law if they are close to the same age.
     
    #24 Skaros, Feb 17, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2016
  5. biAnnika

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    Under 18 with similar-aged person under 18? Show me the case. Otherwise, tis mere speculation.
     
  6. I'm_Danni_x

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    My thoughts precisely.
     
  7. state-champs

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    Agreed. I think sex should be for a more mature audience. Not only because there are too many 14/15 year olds getting pregnant...but I mean THE PEDOPHILES> That's my main concern. I saw the poll and anything below 18 is weird.... If I were a parent and I found out my daughter met some 30 year old she best believe that her ass will be grounded until she turns 18. If she doesn't like that then I'll send her to a reform school. Ok maybe that last part is a bit extreme, but I don't want some older man with my daughter at 16. I don't care if he's 18 or 40. It's not happening.

    Anyway I was saying it should be for a more mature audience because most kids either don't know much about sex or they're always giggling about it whenever it's mentioned. Shit, when I was in high school guys my age would still feel a little uncomfortable talking about it. Some guy on the internet was like "I want to give my girl oral but I can't get over the taste." You need to man the FUCK UP if you want to give her oral. Sure you can use a douche but not every female is going to clean the inside of their vagina. It's not even safe to do it in the first place... :eusa_naug:eusa_naug:eusa_naug
     
    #27 state-champs, Feb 18, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2016
  8. DougTheBicycle

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    I voted 16.

    In WI, age of consent is 18. That is also the age you're legally an adult. So, if you're 18, and your S/O is a year or two younger, you can be charged with sexual misconduct.

    For example.

    I knew a guy who was dating a girl two years younger than him. They started dating when he was 17 and she was 15. NBD. Her parents, though, didn't like him. Didn't approve of him.

    Fast forward a year later, he's 18, she's 16. They're fooling around, consensually, one day and the parents walk in on them. He leaves, of course, girl and parents have big fight. Couple days later, he gets arrested and charged as a sex offender. The girl went to court and TESTIFIED ON HIS BEHALF, and he was still charged. Because in the court's eyes, he had committed sexual misconduct by engaging in sexual activity with someone who was underage.

    I know, this sounds like a bunch of BS, but I actually knew both of the people involved. It was a rough senior year for him.

    So, if people are going to do it anyway, why not make it less illegal?
     
  9. state-champs

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    Two years isn't that bad that's like someone who's 13 dating a 15 year old. But what if it was a 16 year old girl and she wanted to have sex with someone 10+? Sure age is just a number but isn't there a point where we should draw the line? 16 is technically considered a kid. Aren't people worried about pedophiles taking advantage of the situation. People that age are still quite naive and easily persuaded.
     
  10. DougTheBicycle

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    Obviously, a ten year difference would be a different matter. But honestly, I know people who have. It was weird, and all of their friends told them that. But I don't agree with the part where an 18 year old gets labeled as a sex offender for the rest of their life for having consensual relations with their S/O.
     
  11. state-champs

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    Yeah getting labeled a sex offender at 18 is silly and unnecessary. Unless it's for good reason. Like an older brother taking advantage of a little sibling. Or an 18 year old raping a younger girl. The law should be more specific on what should be labeled as a sex offender. I read a story on this man who had been labeled a sex offender at 18 because he was dating this girl at the time who was 16 (and is now his wife). But the thing that sucks is that he's on the sex offender websites and he said it's difficult to get a job and what not because of the circumstances he was under when he was younger.
     
    #31 state-champs, Feb 18, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2016
  12. sldanlm

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    This is pretty much how I feel about the subject.
     
  13. BMC77

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    I can't cite a specific case off the top of my head. I think I have heard of cases, however.

    However, even if I'm only imagining things, I'd say it may be possible some places for, say, a 17 year old to be prosecuted for having sex with another teen the same age.

    Exhibit A: a California lawyer web site:

    In California, minors cannot legally consent to sexual activity. That means all acts of sexual activity with minors could be considered rape, even if both the alleged victim and the defendant are under the age of 18.​

    https://www.wklaw.com/sex-between-teenagers-can-lead-to-a-consensual-sex-crime-pc-261-5/

    Exhibit B:

    A lawyer says:
    First of all, I am not a lawyer in the Ste of Wisconsin. But in California the age of consent is 18, which is also the age of "majority" or adult status. So in California if two minors engage in sexual conduct, each participate is a victim and a perpetrator. Because each of the participants cannot legally give consent, as they are under 18, then it is unlawful sexual conduct.​

    Is it illegal for two minors to have sexual conduct? - Avvo.com
    (This comment is the last one.)
     
  14. Irisviel

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    15 where I live and I have no issues with that. I'd like to see an addition that under 18 (or 17), the older partner cannot exceed, say, 5 year difference. That would make the legal extreme allow 15yo have sex with 20yo. And that's far enough I guess. But, making sex between teenagers a crime would be just plain stupid.

    So, 15, with an added age difference of 5 if the younger partner is below 17-18.
     
  15. imnotreallysure

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    This is what a survey in the UK had to say on the subject:

    [​IMG]

    Considering the higher levels of teenage pregnancy and teenage STD trasmission in Anglosphere nations, I don't think a higher age of consent is particularly useful in that regard. Or at least, sex education just isn't very good.

    Funnily enough, while the majority think the current age of consent is fine, most would prefer a higher driving age - currently it's 17 but 46% think it should be 18.
     
    #35 imnotreallysure, Feb 18, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2016
  16. Creativemind

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    I think 16 is fine in -most- cases (like a 16 year old dating an 18 year old or something).

    If you're arguing who gets to sleep with anyone over the age of consent, I wouldn't even argue for 18, but rather 21 or something. Even an 18 year old shouldn't be sleeping with a 30 or 50 year old- It's fucking creepy and mentally unhealthy. 18 is still too young to be pregnant (It still falls within "teen pregnancy"- maturity wise) in my opinion, and way too young to date someone well within 30's or older- there is still a massive power difference.
     
    #36 Creativemind, Feb 18, 2016
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  17. imnotreallysure

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    21 would fall within 'teenage pregnancy', maturity-wise. The human brain is still developing until the age of 25 - so you'd have a better case for arguing that anyone under 25 shouldn't be sleeping with anyone over 25 - though I find the idea of that pretty laughable myself considering I don't feel violated or unhealthy by having sex with a 30 year old. There is a big difference between having sex with people you find attractive regardless of age, and actively seeking out older partners. I certainly don't need the law telling me who it is appropriate to sleep with as far as upper age limits are concerned - that is a choice entirely bestowed on myself, as an adult who can buy alcohol, smoke cigarettes, join the army, pay taxes, own property and whatever else.

    A certain level of independence and responsibility is needed at some point.
     
    #37 imnotreallysure, Feb 18, 2016
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  18. AwesomGaytheist

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    The one thing they really ought to do is get rid of the laws that prohibit the fact that the younger partner lied about their age/showed a fake ID, etc. Here in Michigan, a 21 year old spent 90 days in jail, his record tarnished forever, because a 15 year old girl who he met on a hookup app (who looked way older than she was) lied about her age and said she was 19.

    The age of consent laws are there for a reason, I get it, but it should be selectively enforced. If you're close in age, or its being used as a vendetta by the parents, it shouldn't be prosecuted. That's not to say that someone 21 sleeping with a 13 year old shouldn't be thrown in jail, don't get me wrong. I just feel like some of these laws create more problems than they solve, especially with sex offender registries. Until 2011, a boy who had consensual sex with his underage girlfriend here in Michigan, was required to register as a sex offender for 25 years. He was to be included with real rapists and pedophiles for a consensual act.
     
  19. ForNarnia

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    It's 16 here, but everyone has sex at about 14. (Literally, I am one of the only people my age I know who's still a virgin) I think 16 is the right age for everything. If I'm allowed to be married/have sex at 16, why can't I drink?
     
  20. Creativemind

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    True. But....taking this logic in account, why is wrong to have the age of consent at 16 instead of 18? (not saying you argued this, but to argue against other posters)
    There's not too much of a mental age difference between 16 and 18, really. And It's one of the ages where you really start to 'need' sex, so I don't find it healthy to repress 16 year olds.

    You also can't drink alcohol here until you're 21, so It's probably not the best argument.

    And there are also people 25+ who have undeveloped brains, are mentally 2 years old due to severe developmental abilities, but the law never takes them into account either. Very interesting.