Zimbabwe row over age of consent after Tomana's comments

[7962]

Source: BBC

Zimbabwe's top prosecutor has been criticised after questioning whether all cases involving sex with girls under 16 should be treated as rape.
Activists should ask what alternatives to early marriage are left for young girls who are out of school, Johannes Tomana told the state-owned Chronicle.

Many online have criticised his comments for endorsing the idea that girls as young as 12 can give consent.
In Zimbabwe, 4% of girls marry by the age of 15 and 30% by 18, the UN says.

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo joined the criticism, calling Mr Tomana's interview "outrageous", and suggesting that his comments compromised his position as prosecutor general, in a post on twitter.

The wishes of girls who want to get married early and who give their consent to under-age sex should be considered carefully, Mr Tomana said.


Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33203462

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In 2015 we still have countries that openly excuse abuse of young girls.

[McCamy Taylor]

1. If a 17 year old wants to get married she should be able to talk to a judge

and prove she really wants to get married.

[shenmue]

2. In other words, he wants creepy older men to exploit young girls

The hell with letting girls make the choice.