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Age of consent laws are useful to young people in keeping them safe. Remember, not so long ago the young were forced to work in factories in unsafe conditions to help support the family instead of getting a useful education. Children routinely died working in factories, were paid very little, did not get regular breaks, etc. Sometimes laws and regulations actually do help people. They can help protect the weaker in society from the powerful (yes, rarely, but still better than nothing).
Slave labor in sweat shops can be controlled without infringing on the privacy of personal lives. It is a huge leap from a school girl exploring her sexuality, to being kidnapped and sold into slavery. Remember, not so long ago, girls were also forced into convents, in order to control their sexuality.
Strait jackets. locked basements and chastity belts are also "useful to young people in keeping them safe". But one can go too far.
I think age-of-consent laws for sex and drinking are extremely important because they absolve parents of the responsibility of instilling values in their children so they can get to more important things like buying shoes and watching football on television.
Why bother with parenting when laws can do the same thing in an arbitrary way? A robust legal code makes for a good substitute for culture and morality.
Well, as a practical matter I suspect 16 would be reasonable, otherwise we would have a lot of teenage felons out there, being a teenager is rough enough, no need to penalize human nature.
So a girl who starts her period at age 11 is emotionally mature enough to consent to and have sex, simply because she's gone through puberty?
In no support of pedophiles, some people aren't emotionally mature at 30. You even have people who are mentally handicapped at the legal age who have consensual sex and produce children even though their cognitive state is that of an 11 year old.
If there is a presumption that in no case is a girl under 18 mature enough to make a decision about her own sexuality, then you have to also concede that no such girl under 18 is mature enough to be a mother, and therefore, no girl under 18 who bears a child should be allowed to keep the child. Said child being, by definition, the issue of a felon, and to be raised by the state for the child's own protection from a criminal father and a childishly immature mother.
The age of consent law is there to give these young girls a chance of experience before being burdened with a child. A mature experienced woman who wants a child will be responsible with that child and will offer far more to that child. A girl who is less than 18 years of age cannot give consent, especially to a more experienced adult who can manipulate her sexuality.
If there is a presumption that in no case is a girl under 18 mature enough to make a decision about her own sexuality, then you have to also concede that no such girl under 18 is mature enough to be a mother, and therefore, no girl under 18 who bears a child should be allowed to keep the child. Said child being, by definition, the issue of a felon, and to be raised by the state for the child's own protection from a criminal father and a childishly immature mother.
You forget that some young mothers have a great family support system. Loving, supporting, and responsible families have a big role in the decision making of these young girls. The child's family could always be a large part of her life, that does depend on the family...
If becoming a parent too young is the issue for age of consent (and we do seem to only be talking about females...) then why isn't birth control more of a discussion? Having sex is one thing, getting pregnant is another.
I suspect people will suggest the age of consent being the age at which he or she first consented.
In reality it would probably vary, because it depends not on a number/age, but on the time when such an individual has attained a certain level of maturity, responsibility, and the compacity to comprehend the consequences and long term implications of their behaviour/choices. Of course society can't really contend to the individual nature of this issue very effectively so a general average age is assumed. But from what I and others have often seen, and based on psychological aspects of teenage/young adult brain development (regardless of sexual maturity) I would go for 21 or so rather than any teenage range.
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