What Age is the Right Age?

A well known and respected barrister has shocked the public by stating the age of consent should be lowered to the age of 13. Barbara Hewson claimed the age should be lowered in the wake of the Jimmy Saville scandal, she claimed the current justice system is "persecuting old men".

Ms Hewson also requests more changes to the Sexual Offences Act, she claims victims should no longer receive anonymity (when a victim claims to be sexual assaulted the media cannot identify them).

Barbara, journalist for Spiked the magazine has called for Sexual Offenders to receive no anonymity. Picture courtesy of this week.co.uk

The problem with the age of consent is, even though it is law, how many people abide by it? All teenagers are diverse and develop at different ages. So how can we have one law for all - that is almost like saying we all must get married by a certain age.

But to modify the law that then allows paedophiles to not only talk to young, vulnerable girls but it legally allows them to have sex with them, through consent, it's ludicrous! At 13 there is not many of us that knew a great deal about sex, as much as education enlightened us all no-one was warned us enough of the dangers of paedophiles.

For arguments sake if the consent age did drop to 13 then how many girls at that age would be getting pregnant not knowing the full scale of looking after a new born child. To many teenagers girls and boys looking after a baby might seems appealing when it looks cute in it's pushchair - plus having a child that young means you don't have to attend school - seems petty but some people would do it.

Ms Hewson's second request also seems almost prejudicial towards younger women, admittedly any persons could be sexually abused but it happens more in women. When someone has gone through an ordeal that will scar them for the rest of their life should their name/age/address be revealed to the public. This kind of idea will, if anything increase sexual offences; rapist will think less people want to go to the police to complain about being sexually offended if the media can say who you are?
 

Victims or sexual offences are given anonymity for the rest of their lives. Picture courtesy of guardian.com

What's more, it's as if Ms Hewson is sticking up for some convicted sexual predators: "touching a 17-year-old's breast, kissing a 13-year-old, or putting one's hand up a 16-year-old's skirt" are not crimes comparable to gang rapes and murders and "anyone suggesting otherwise has lost touch with reality". As right as she is they are still crimes that can scar an innocent, young, vulnerable persons life and they must be punished in the correct manner. Let's see someone put a hand up her skirt and see how she reacts!

If the consent age is lowered prostitution will explode in this country, it is illegal but when has that stopped people before? Criminal gangs will see this as a way for trafficking young vulnerable girls and sick paedophiles will be prepared to pay for it.

So here is my contradictory idea to Ms Hewson instead of having an age of consent have a guideline age where you are advised to have sexual relations. But make it illegal for anyone over the age of 30 to have sexual relations with someone under the age of somewhere in the region of 18. Also having sex unprotected or without any sort of contraception should be illegal until you are at least 18. It might be a little less simplistic than the current law but it would solve a whole lot of issues with paedophilia and teenage pregnancy, planed or unplanned.