“Wanna experiment with sex after school?”
“Sure, now that it’s legal!”
The new law that allows prosecutors to seek a death penalty for repeat child sex offenders also lowers the age of consent in some cases.
Prosecutors can seek a death sentence for a repeat sex offender when the victim is under age eleven. But it also allows people age 18 and under to avoid maximum penalties if the other person is 14, down from 16. The provision was added to avoid severe penalties for young people experimenting with sex.
Here is a listing of the age of consent laws in the States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_North_America
“Graduated age of consent” is fairly common.
Makes sense…
Why would you prosecute a 17 year old who’s having sex with a 14 year old? But then again…should a 16 year old be charged if they are having sex with a 13 year old? It’s not as clear cut as the law would like it…
Some of the graduated consent laws allow for a four-year age gap between late and mid teens, but only a two-year gap for younger teens.
Making it hard to slam the bible belters on this on isn’t it?
What does that mean for me? I am 27. Am I good with a 14 year old now?
Hell – I’m 60. I forget what this is all about anyway….
[grin]
Probably un-PC but it make sense to me. Kids are going to “fool around” with or without laws for or against it. It seems silly at best to hammer those few who get caught.
(There must be a distinction between consent and rape and issues of diminished capacity….)
Regards
I wonder if these kids, parents and lawmakers realize that this seemingly recreational activity is more like the way people bring children into this world than it is to legally enjoy a beer?
RBG
On the other hand, maybe beer is responsible for children.
Sex isn’t the question, it’s the answer.
when I was a kid, we experimented with explosives… can we have lower ages permitted to do that now, too? its about as safe 😛
#7 “On the other hand, maybe beer is responsible for children.”
Of course now I drink Beer because of the children. It’s a damn vicious cycle.
If the age of consent is 17 here in Texas, and two 15 year olds decide to do what 15 years do, who do you prosecute? This is assuming this law is not in affect. It would be an interesting court battle if they just prosecuted one of the kids.
Holy crap! According to wiki the age of consent is 12 in Delaware if the other partner is less than 4 years older than the younger partner. 12!?! At 12 I was just beginning to think about sex. Holy crap that is too young.
“At 12 I was just beginning to think about sex.”
Get ahold of yourself, young man! We’ll have none of that “I was making a tent” in this camp.
Anyone know where that pic came from? Is it a screen shot? A… friend of mine wants to know.
You’d think a Bible Belt state would be outlawing sex altogether… not making it EASIER for kids.
Mybe I don’t fully understand those guys down there.
12 yr old girls having sex in not uncommon. The worst part of it is when they get pregnant at 12 and still in middle school. They don’t teach Sex Ed to them at that age so they usually have no clue as to the consequences.
What I really find odd is it seems ANAL sex is a more “severe” crime than just normal vaginal sex. Funny I thought these laws was supposed to fight “kids having kids” problem? Surely this is aimed at homosexuals, but it’s not like one can get pregnant from analsex, especially gay men.
Maybe someone checked into it and found other people’s feces is not all that healthy.
RBG
Geez Mr. Fusion…..What are parents for? It’s not like we as a society have no clue kids at 12 are having sex, might be a good idea to have a chat with your 11 y/o.
When I was 12, I knew all about sex, but then I was raised on a farm/ranch. Took me several embarrassing years before I learned not to run up behind my hoped for partner, and sink my teeth into her throat before initiating sex.
Thank God some people are doing something about teen sex.
[edit: youtube link 1]
[edit: youtube link 2]
Editor:Â Milo, pls use tinyurl.
19, ya, that can really put a damper on your sex life.
My wife works with post-natal mothers. In her program they have had several 12 and 13 yr olds kids when they got pregnant. The religious community around here has a very strong influence on what the kids get taught and when. Sex Ed starts in High School, after these girls have already given birth. Apparently this is not all that uncommon in the bible belt; it is just not discussed. At that age, most parents are in denial that their kid is fertile and curious.
What the eff people….it is NOT ok for an 18yr old to have sex with a 14 yr old. Its SICK and if it was my daughter the guy would have his balls cut off . !8 yr olds have no business having sex with 14 yr olds. PERIOD. I dont care if the 14 yr old consented or not…its flat out wrong!! Ack…this whole thing is making me sick!!!!!!!!!!!! Blah blah blah I know kids are going to have sex….say 16 hopefully not younger and hopefully older BUT I think that is a totally different argument than the 18 yr old and 14 yr old.Dont the amish let their kids have sex when theyre like 12 and get married and have babies??? CRAZIES!!!!!!
#18 RGB –
Don’t they have soap where you live?
The average age of marriage in the mid 1800s U.S. was 14.
Just thought I’d throw that out there.
I find the whole age of consent argument to be quite amusing as it shows a clear ignorance of history. As Calin pointed out, people should read about mating and marriage habits over the past couple of thousand years. Marriage at 12-14 was not uncommon.
The real answer is that it is not easy to arbitrarily pick an age. Some people are more than mature enough to have sex at 14 some are not mature enough at 34.
23. Is that like a gerbil thing? I doubt soap is eliminating the STD rate. Besides, I think that would be like washing the horse after the barn door is closed. Or something like that. And if that doesn’t ring true let me try, “eeww, gross.”
25. If we used history as our guide, we’d be flogging people for jaywalking. Given the pregancy and abortion stats, I think its a serious enough problem. To begin with we have to tone down the permissive, cool, sex-as-fun attitude that pervades our culture – often targeting kids, directly influencing them – and start looking at the serious side of what sex is actually all about. There’s your birth control.
What’s amusing is the double standard that parents are supposed to have this total 24 hr. control over their kids (thus allowing big money to be made showing porn, etc. on TV / movies / internet) but then there’s a convenient flip-flop acknowledging parents have no control over kids. (ie: kids’ sex lives). Which is it? You can’t have it both ways.
RBG
I wanted to be with hairy, balding men before I knew what an orgasm was.
If the consent is lowered back down to 14 it only allows more kids to have sex and more teen pregnancy’s……hello! SOme ppl really need to think about what laws they make. We have enough teen parents in the US as it is
The age of consent should never be that low. I do not care what some 12 and 13 yr olds are doing it is wrong, and changing the consent to such a low age in any state not only sends the message to CHILDREN that they can do what they want, but it tells supposed adults that its ok to bang a baby. A child does not know what they really want. My 9 year old says she wants to play with fire, should I let her? NO!!! Because she needs to know that she will be burned. Everyone who sits there and complains because they can not figure out why their teenager is acting this way, look at the laws you allow to be made, laws that enable and allow children to be and do adult things. I hate America today. Progress has poisened not only our land but minds of far to many people . I dont believe children should be beat on but you can bet your a$$ that my mom knocked me to my knees if I deserved it. To this day I would never disrespect her, and it isnt out of fear, its because I respect her for all she taught me. She taught me first and foremost to respect my elders, my body and soul and other people.
I LIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA!!!