Should the age of consent in your state be lowered?

[redqueen]

Many here seem to think it should.

[Wapsie B]

1. Doesn't it vary from state to state?

edit: I think in some places it's 15 or under if I'm not mistaken.

[TahitiNut]

2. "Age of consent" is a matter of state law, not federal law, afaik.

:shrug:

[redqueen]

4. I'll re-word it. (nt)

[VMI Dem]

3. If the lowered age is applied to other peoples kids and not mine.

[LooseWilly]

5. Age of consent in Holland is 16.

And marijuana, hasheesh, psilocybin mushrooms, euthanasia, and same sex marriage are all legal as well.

And they have a better healthcare system.

They seem to do alright.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Until recently, the age of consent in Canada was 14.

They upped it to 16.

Hell, I dunno. Girls used to get married at 15. Onset of puberty is happening younger & younger.

These are more or less random thoughts, offered here because I don't have answers.

[onenote]

13. even in canada there are exceptions in both directions

For example, as I understand it, Canadian law allows consensual sex involving a 12 or 13 year old if the other party is no more than two years older and involving 14 and 15 year olds if the partner is no more than 5 years older. On the other hand, the law prohibits "consensual" sex involving a 16 or 17 year old if the other party is in a "position of trust or authority" towards the youth, if the youth is in a "relationship of dependency" with him or her, or if the relationship is "exploitative"

As noted elsewhere in this thread, it is common for age of consent statutes in the US to have similar exceptions in both directions.

[Penguin31]

7. It's 16 here. That seems to be the number most states have gone with. (Edited)

Setting a national standard below 16 (IE: 14-15) would be asking for trouble, IMO, but if they lowered the 17/18 states down to 16 then it wouldn't be as much of a problem. If, by the standards of their state, they're qualified by age to operate a two ton metal deathtrap (IE: car) down the highway, then they're probably of sufficient age to be able to consent.

[redqueen]

9. Wow. You must have spent a LOT of time on that post. (nt)

[Penguin31]

10. Edited to account for your edits.

The perils of a malfunctioning iPod - It hung between songs, and by the time I got it working and got around to finishing up and sending, I saw the edits. :)

[onenote]

8. many states have fairly complex age of consent laws -- not one age

Generally speaking, the most common "age of consent" in the US is 16; its 17 or 18 in eleven states and 15 or 14 in around 5 states. But these are only generalizations; many states have relatively complex age of consent laws that factor in the difference in ages between the parties engaging in sexual activity, or whether the older party is in a position of authority, etc etc.

[redqueen]

14. That's a very good thing...

having the complexity to recognize the variety of situations that might be involved.

[LuvNewcastle]

11. I think considerable leeway should be

given to judges/juries in determining whether a crime was committed when someone below a certain age has sex. Don't bind a jury's hands and say that if this person is below 16, for instance, that they must convict. Some of these teens are capable of consent, others aren't. A one-size-fits-all law just doesn't work properly in these cases.

[rucky]

12. Only for cousins. n/t

[Touchdown]

15. I think it's 15 already in Colorado. So that's low enough.

I know that, because I looked up the law in 1972/or 3 where they repealed the sodomy statute and replaced it with another. A friend bragged to me that Colorado was the 2nd or 3rd state to repeal sodomy laws. IIRC, I think it said 15 years old for consent. It may have been altered and raised later on though.:shrug: