Sex at age 12 okay under law change (New Zealand)

[Champ]

Sex between children as young as 12 will be allowed under a shock law change, horrifying teen pregnancy experts, educators and counsellors.


The Crimes Amendment (No 2) Bill is designed to repeal our outdated sex laws but critics are furious at a new section that would allow sex between teenage couples.

The new law would decriminalise consensual sex for children as young as 12, provided their partner is no more than two years older than them. It would allow a girl as young as 12, and a boy aged 12-14, to have sex with impunity. Parents and police would be powerless to act if the relationship was not condoned.

The change would give New Zealand the dubious reputation of having the most liberal stance on sex in the developed world. Most western countries set the age of consent at 16, except France where it is 15.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/0,2106,2916359a6005,00.html

[Solon]

1. My question is how are they going to forbid it anyways...

Kids that age are going to have sex with each other regardless, at least some of them. They aren't going to ask about any laws regarding its legality, and if caught, unless the older one is above 18 the police aren't going to be involved at all. I think that New Zealand is simply being realistic in that, unless a clear case of statutory rape is made, that the perp so to speak was over 18, then these laws are damn near unenforcable. They make as much sense as sodomy laws and ones governing sexual position. Has anyone in the US ever heard of 2 kids around the age of 12 or so being hauled to jail for having sex? I never had, so its a non-issue, I only hope that sex education is availuable so they no how to avoid pregnancies and STD's as best as possible.

[lolly]

2. Is it that different here?

My understanding was that "statutory rape" meant sex between an adult and a child, with a child defined as someone under 16 or 17 (depending on local laws)

Is there anyplace in the U.S. where it is ILLEGAL for two 15-year-olds to have sex? Generally discouraged, yes, but not illegal. And how does this make "Parents . . . powerless to act?" Does this article suggest that the only way parents have to influence kids is through threat of arrest?

This article is weird.

[Whitacre D_WI]

11. Quick answer?

Is there anyplace in the U.S. where it is ILLEGAL for two 15-year-olds to have sex?

Yes.

Several states (Ohio, for instance, at least while I was growing up in the early-'90s) have legal age of consent restrictions for girls, but not boys. In other words, if two 15-year-olds have sex, the BOY (but not the girl) can be arrested for statutory rape.

Thankfully, I never got into trouble with the law. But some kids I knew did. And yes -- that's fucked up.

[Nomad559]

3. Legal Age of Consent

Legal Age of Consent from around the world

http://ageofconsent.com/ageofconsent.htm

[Lou_C]

4. I was still playing with dolls at 12 years old

[RoyGBiv]

5. I am troubled...

This notion that parents are "powerless" to act in the absence of law is really atrocious.

I don't recall my parents calling the cops or suing me once during my childhood. I do remember knowing full well who had the power in the relationship, though.

That would have been Grandma. Grandma was a badass. :-)

[MichaelUK]

6. Parents are losing their powers over kids all over the world

There was a story in the UK last week (maybe 2 weeks ago) about a mother who's daughter had a chemical abortion, organised by the school, without the mother's consent or knowledge. The mother only found out because one of the duaghter's friends told her after the first pill had been taken.

[Red State Rebel]

7. Let's hear it for the new chapter of NAMBLA!

I'm sure they are celebrating. For those of you who don't know this is the "National Man-Boy Love Association". The ACLU is currently defending them against child pornography charges for an internet site that talks about how to troll for "partners" i.e. victims.

[BBradley]

10. Thank god for the ACLU,

They try to protect free speech no matter how much that speech may be stigmatized.

By the way, if you had actually read it, it says sex between people as young as 12 as long as the age difference is less than 2 years. So before you crank that incredulity up a few more notches, stop and read. Thanks.

[jmowreader]

8. It sounds good to me...

Apparently the Abstinence Only people were starting to make inroads, getting Sex Education replaced with no-sex education.

You need to know about birth control. You need to know about those weird urges you're getting. You need to know more than "just say no."

By legalizing sex between 12-year-olds, the state is telling the fundies "you have to tell these kids how to have sex without killing themselves or making more New Zealanders."

[Bertha Venation]

9. See?! See what happens when you let gays marry?

:eyes: