To think the age of consent should be raised to 18 if there is a significant age gap?

For me personally I’d say the better step would be education, in schools, in homes, with parents- start young, it is definitely a “bigger picture” thing and not an overnight thing but that would be much more useful.

Make sure that young people have the skills, knowledge and support to identify these things BEFORE they fall into a pattern.

Teach children about healthy relationships, consent, boundaries, spotting red flags like control, jealousy, silent treatment, teach children that leaving a relationship is absolutely okay. This could be done in schools in an age appropriate way and not just as a one off class but ongoing, and it also needs to be done at home. How many posts do we see on here from people in abusive relationships whether it is financially, emotionally, physically or otherwise, who “stay for the children”? Kids learn about what healthy relationships look like primarily from their parents. We need a system that better supports women (and men) in leaving abusers, child maintenance using powers more as just one example, support for women to report- it is estimated that 75% of domestic abuse goes unreported- we NEED to change that. Children who grow up seeing what healthy looks like, and what SHOULD be done when a relationship is not healthy, are far less likely to fall victim
to abuse. If a girl grows up seeing dad shout at mum, or refuse to speak to mum, or God forbid hit mum, and mum stays, that child is more likely to end up in a similar situation because in their mind that is what “love” looks like.

There’s work to be done at individual levels in young people too. If young people had the support and resources to work on regulating their own emotions, communication etc then they are less likely to become wither abusers or victims of DA. Young people who have already experienced or witnessed DA need support to stop that pattern in its tracks, that support should be widely and easily available and known about- it just isn’t currently, like lots of other things it is lacking and what services do exist are underfunded or overwhelmed.

These things would be far more useful that telling a 16 year old girl she can have sex with a 17 year old but can’t have sex with a 20 year old.

One of my DD’s 18yo female friends is being preyed on by a bloke 5 yrs older at the moment. Very difficult to sort out.

He’s “only” 22/23 but known as a predator (my ds is almost 20 and has seen this guy always with a different girl 4-5 years younger. They all consider him an exploitative paedo).

I think perhaps the law could state that teenagers aged 16-19 should only be having sex with someone less than 18 months different in age. And call it “teenage protection rule” or something.

In England there is the vague "education or training" until 18 so English society is still wanting to treat many 18 years as "school children".
If the age of consent was moved to 18 you will still the potential of having "school girls" being targeted by older men.
So what next....move it to 20? 21?

But a 30 year old marrying an 18 year old isn't that much different?
To be honest I don't think it happens that much.

I can understand the idea behind it, and I agree that there is often a power imbalance even if not out & out abuse with even a 5 year age gap at 16 & 21 compared to say 25 & 30, but I’m not sure that it would make legal sense.

You either believe you can consent, or not. You can’t really say you can consent at 16 to sex with another 16 year old, but not a 19 year old. And what would the line be? What is “okay”? 16 & 18 okay, 16 & 19 not okay?

To be honest if a 16 year old is that naive at 16 will much have changed by 18?
I was fairly immature at 16 AND at 18.

It's 16 for voting and marriage in Scotland.
Which is still part of the UK....

I think it should be 18 across the board, regardless of the age of the other person. Sex is for adults. Ditto marriage and parenthood (nobody under 18 would ever be considered for adoption or guardianship of a child). The law as it stands basically approves situations where someone could become a parent before there's a chance of them being a responsible one - before they even have the option to marry, have a home in their own name, get any job that pays them decently etc. Madness.

(And the same with driving).

When I was at 6th form a few girls had boyfriends much older than them. Of course all women can be duped by online predators.

Yes, of course, most men do. That's human nature.

18 is ridiculous🙄 And I've never found anyone anywhere near my own age remotely attractive either.

I think it would be difficult to enforce and there would be grey areas.

It’s probably more about educating girls and boys about consent and about spotting controlling behaviour and red flags.

Many have a romanised idea of love

There’s nothing wrong with a Romanised view of love, but I’m afraid she may have to join a legion to get citizenship. It’s not just “love a Roman, marry a Roman, be welcomed by the Empire” anymore.

💯

OP tinkering around the edges is unworkable.

I agree with this.

Oh well let’s not bother with most of the laws there to protect girls or women eh? 🙄

I think it’s an excellent idea op. Unfortunately apathy reigns when it comes to female safeguarding as this post demonstrates.

I'm surprised this seems unpopular. I think it's quite a good idea. Overall 18 seems a better age of consent (the idea a man of 50 can have sex with a 16 year old is repulsive) but some sort of Romeo and Juliet law means we aren't prosecuting people 3 months older than their boyfriend or whatever.

Hasn't the age of marriage been increased to 18.
.
Fixing the age to 16 caused enough problems about 150 years ago - it was 13 and the members of parliament didn't want their mates or their sons being criminalised as they were fond of associating with very young women from the streets who were forced into sex work through poverty.

I would prefer it to be something about age difference and vulnerability.