Should the age of consent be lowered to 13?

NO!

Stuart Hall's crimes were 'low level misdemeanours'????

This woman is seriously deluded!

I think we ought to be able to assume that someone in her position would be able to discuss this difficult issue with a bit of subtley and awareness. Shame on her.

The protect old men bit beggars belief.

There is a world of a difference between a 13 year oldgirl and a boy of similar age experimenting and going a bit far,and the use of such a girl by an older man - it is the girls we wish to protect here.

It is a difficult issue as we also need to protect men from neurotic/ vindictive/deluded women/girls who might make malicious accusations - hence the need for a little subtlety.

Barmy woman! - in a position of power and influence unfortunately.

Ignorant woman - she should take a look inside Strangeways and see how many elderly, wheelchair-bound and frail sex offenders she can count, then watch them on release as they sit outside their accommodation enticing children to 'help' and 'befriend' them. Age doesn't necessarily stop them offending, despite taking them through treatment. Before retirement, I have spoken to quite a few GPs, asking them not to prescibe Viagra to older sex offenders who weren't in relationships with adults.

Incidentally, this daft barrister has forgotten that Stuart Hall was also charged with rape, which remains on file. That certainly doesn't fit her comment about old men being charged with low-level misdemeanors.

We were unfortunate to be involved with a false accusation concerning a child. It went to Crown Court where the Judge said it should never have got that far!
The Solicitor for the Defence said,"It is much more difficult to prove that something did not occur than to prove that it did!"
No apology was offered to the defendant, or the other people affected by the false accusations !

Am I right in thinking that having sex with a girl under 16 is automatically rape even if she agrees?

I don't condone it at all but the other day DH and I commented on how polite a young girl was and he wondered why she was not at school but I thought she was at least old enough to be doing her A levels. It must be very difficult sometimes if a girl lies about her age. gramps does have a point.

13 is ridiculous!

And yet, I often think about this. As Movelot says, sex with someone under 16 if automatically rape. I hope I won't shock you, but I was a very mature teenager, very self-assured and knew what I was doing. I mentioned this before re taking responsibility for contraception. I fell in love with a 24 year old man when I was 15, and had my first passionate affair. I was absolutely not co-erced, and knew exactly what I was doing and it was a great and very empowering experience- which never harmed me, au contraire. And yet, if he had been reported, he would have faced Court and even with my testimony, would not have escaped jail. Which, still to this day, seems totally wrong to me.

But this woman is totally wrong here!

Yes, Moved they are unable to give consent under 16. Consensual under-age sex is not usually prosecuted, but the consensual aspect of it has to be real between both under-age parties. When one is up to four years older than the under-16 person, and they both say they consented, this is assessed to decide whether they were in a relationship, knew the possible consequences and so on. Some are prosecuted, depending on the circumstances. Young people who are in genuine reationships can be diverted from prosecution.

How very silly & dangerous. 13 year olds are still too young to fully appreciate and manage the power of some insidious older people!

You can't give consent for anything else at that age, can't sign a contract etc. so why should sex be different? No way.

I totally agree with Movealot. I would say definitely not, far too young. The vast majority maybe sexually mature but are they emotionally mature?

Oops, Movedalot!

Surely the onus is on the adult male to behave like a responsible adult. Even if a young girl is plastered with make-up and dressed as if she were older, isn't it likely to be fairly apparent when getting to know her that she is immature and may well be under 16. Or do these "mistakes" occur because some men aren't really interested in conversation.

I agree with Mishap - if the girl is under age and the boy is of a similar age, and sexual activity is consensual, that is very different from an older, experienced man taking advantage of a young person's vulnerability. I believe when only young people are involved, prosecutions don't usually occur anyway.

Every day there are more revelations about comedians, youth workers, presenters, priests, teachers, politicians, etc., etc., who used their influence and power to assault young girls (and boys). Is the suggestion that the age of consent should be lowered being put forward for pragmatic reasons - that these revelations may continue indefinitely and it will be costly and time-consuming to investigate and prosecute such cases?

Whatever the reason for this suggestion, I think it is totally wrong. If we can't protect our young people from predatory adults, then there is something very wrong with our society.

I do understand that a small minority of people make untrue accusations, so it is incumbent on everyone not to judge cases before they come to Court and to leave it to the jury to examine the evidence and reach a verdict.

How ridiculous, still only children at that age. Why hurry the growing up period!

I was both Charley girl - at 15 not 13 though. And it is still for me, one of the best and most empowering happy experience in my life... and yet. And never wore make-up or tarty dresses, and I was NOT drunk either - one of the most used 'excuses' in the book.

Totally agree that that woman is WRONG and way out of order.

Thirteen year olds are considered to be children in our culture but not in some others where they can be married at that age. It is considered appropriate that sexual intercourse does not take place until a year after the girl has her first period.

i don"t pornography helps in any way shape or form .

I was sniggered at, a while back , as i said it was a bad thing .

I stand by my assertion that pornography is BAD

Hello, Am no expert but I do remember reading about the teenage brain still being underdeveloped at 16. They have quite literally not developed enough skills at making choices and knowing what is safe etc. Its why teenagers do such daft things. Anyone who has raised a child will know that in the space of half a minute a 14 year old can switch from wise beyond their years to acting little better than a toddler!

Grown women too

At 15, I knew exactly what I was doing and would have stood in court to defend him had I had to.

But yes 13 is ridiculous and her pathetic attempt to protect those guys is dreadful.

BTW I am thoroughly ashamed to say, as a Swiss - that the legal age for prostitution is 16 here [sick]

Nonu who on earth would snigger about you not liking pornography? The discussion on here was a reasoned one that generally took the same view.

Nonu I can't see a post from you on the April discussion about pornography. Why don't you take a look - you might find that many agree with you

I am afraid i disagree with you When .

Perhaps if you have the time or inclination you will Note it was said "there was only one poster who disagreed" which I pesumed meant me .

But do you WHAT I very strongly disagree I very strongly disagree with pornography , it usually emerges that sex offenders have viewed quite extensively.

Sad or what ????????????????

Take a look at the thread, Nonu. I've just put it on here further down