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Original poster

Does anyone have figures for people in prison for consensual sex with similarly aged but underage partners?

140 replies

SardineQueen · 05/05/2012 21:05

Just looking at another thread on here and a lot of people saying they know young men who are in prison / on the sex offenders register for consensual sex - the ages being talked about are 15 and 17.

Also someone saying that in young offenders institutes there are a of young people in there for similarly aged consensual sex.

This seems unlikely to me but I have no figures to go on so I don't really know. Does anyone have any stats on this?

Thanks.

OP posts:
wem · 06/05/2012 13:04

I'd say this paragraph:

"Although the age of consent remains at 16, the law is not intended to prosecute mutually agreed teenage sexual activity between two young people of a similar age, unless it involves abuse or exploitation."

recognises that having sex with a 15 year old is still a crime, just not one they intend to prosecute 17 year olds for.

wem · 06/05/2012 13:02

Really? Sorry, I wasn't sure as I typed it, and knew there was another cut off at 13. Why is 16 called 'the age of consent' then?

Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 13:00

wem that is incorrect.

The law says that consent cannot be given, if the child is under 13.

OP posts:
Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 13:00

"They will investigate to a point in order to ensure the teen is safe"

Two examples on this thread at least where that has not happened.
It is not a police matter full stop.
If a parent wishes to involve agencies I guess they can but again with a consensual relationship between a 15yo and a 17 yo I can't see much happening.

So many people have a really odd view of what goes on, which seems very out of touch with reality. Services are pressed. They have enough on their plate with really serious situations to be spending time sitting down with a cheerful 15yo because their parents said so Confused

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wem · 06/05/2012 12:58

I generally agree with what you are saying SardineQueen, but I want to make one point - in law, a 15 year old isn't having consensual sex. That's what the age of consent means, she/he is deemed not old enough to give consent. It still stands that they don't intend to prosecute similarly aged teenagers, which I agree with, but to call it consensual sex is not legally accurate, and muddies the waters of who can give consent, which isn't helpful in other areas, e.g. drunkeness and incapacity.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:57

Maryz is not on this thread Confused
Ireland is a very different place to the UK
It is a place "like that" in matters relating to religion, and sex
As is Northern Ireland to an extent, which shares most of our laws but notably not the one on abortion, which is a constant source of anger and upset to many people

However this thread is about the UK.

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 06/05/2012 12:56

My response was in relation to your comment about the police not doing anything because there was nothing to investigate without confirmation from the girl herself. If there are issues over maturity, etc then that is not a police matter. The police quite rightly do not pursue teenage relationships that are consensual. They will investigate to a point in order to ensure the teen is safe but beyond that, it is not down to them to parent.

FallenCaryatid · 06/05/2012 12:52

I'm not in Ireland, Maryz is. It's just that the response of
'Where do you live, Afghanistan?!!' seemed a bit stereotypical and therefore limited.
As if only places like that would be so restrictive.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:50

If you read the OP and first post again you will see what the conversation is about.

TBH I would not expect referrals to be made in the case of a 15yo and a 17yo having consensual sex. I guess if a parent pushed and pushed they might get something. From what I can see SS are left to try and sort things out at a stage where I would expect the police to be involved.

OP posts:
Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:48

The question is will action be taken regarding the law in the event of consensual sex between eg a 15yo and a 17yo.

The answer is that the law says it is not interested in these cases.

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 06/05/2012 12:45

The police would make referrals to other agencies who are better placed to support the family, so it's not always a question of " doing nothing".

Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:38

Proles how awful. I hope it turned out OK in the end. Is DD OK?

There was another thread on here where a mother was at her wits end with an older drug addict who her DD wouldn't stay away from and the police said there was nothing they could do.

In cases where these is a big difference in maturity or suggestions of a wonky power balance I would expect the police to do something. But they don't.

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Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:36

But we don't live in Ireland either Confused

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FallenCaryatid · 06/05/2012 12:30

'You seem to be saying that girls can have boys put in prison for getting them pregnant. Where do you live, Afghanistan?!!'

Ireland. What happened to the Romeo and Juliet law?

Prolesworth · 06/05/2012 12:27

I'd be amazed if there were any teenage boys/men in prison for having consensual sex with a 15 year old. I spoke to the police about a man in his early 20s who was (imo) preying on my 14 year old daughter and, although the police did interview him and said to me afterwards that they could understand my concern (he was an absolute creep) and that they wouldn't want him anywhere near their daughters, without a complaint from my DD they said they could do nothing. Which I found and still find shocking.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:16

I am also a bit gobsmacked that parents actually do that, it's all terribly eastenders. Still there you go.

OP posts:
Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:14

With seahouses niece the parent did go to police and the police said they would not act without a complaint from the girl.

chocladoodle said "Did your neice not want to involve the police SeaHouses?"

And I asked her "Why on earth would a 15 yo girl want to involve the police after having consensual sex with her boyfriend?"

It's a fair question.

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 06/05/2012 12:08

They don't Sardine - often the initial complaint comes as a third party report, usually parents.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:04

"Perhaps these teenage boys that are all doing time in a young offenders institute have impregnated their young partners, leaving them with the responsibility of parenthood. The law was introduced to protect young girls for this very reason. It is unusual however for it to result in prosecution, mostly due to the lack of cooperation from the pregnant girl who doesn't want to see her boyfriend in trouble with the police."

You really need to read the act.

"Although the age of consent remains at 16, the law is not intended to prosecute
mutually agreed teenage sexual activity between two young people of a similar age,
unless it involves abuse or exploitation."

A pregnancy does not magically render consensual sex, non-consensual.

You seem to be saying that girls can have boys put in prison for getting them pregnant. Where do you live, Afghanistan?!!
You also seem to forget that the law also protects boys. The law is not there to protect girls from pregnancy Confused It is there to protect children and teens from abuse, exploitation and coercion.

OP posts:
Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:01

"Did your neice not want to involve the police SeaHouses?"

Why on earth would a 15 yo girl want to involve the police after having consensual sex with her boyfriend? Confused

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Original poster
SardineQueen · 06/05/2012 12:01

"They would of course require the 15 yr girls to comply and give statements in order to make a complaint against him"

A complaint of what?
Consensual sex?

OP posts:
chocladoodle · 06/05/2012 10:00

It all comes down to whether or not it is in the best interests of the wider public. Two young teenagers having consensual sex is of no great concern.

Although the age of consent is still 16 - that is the law.

If however there was a raving 17 yr boy going around secondary schools and impregnating scores of 15 yr girls then yes, it is in the public's interest to do something about him. They would of course require the 15 yr girls to comply and give statements in order to make a complaint against him and bring on criminal proceedings.

Perhaps these teenage boys that are all doing time in a young offenders institute have impregnated their young partners, leaving them with the responsibility of parenthood. The law was introduced to protect young girls for this very reason. It is unusual however for it to result in prosecution, mostly due to the lack of cooperation from the pregnant girl who doesn't want to see her boyfriend in trouble with the police.

Did your neice not want to involve the police SeaHouses?

SeaHouses · 05/05/2012 23:41

I am completely confused by what we are all talking about.

I am saying that it isn't a crime for a 15 year old and a 17 year old to have consensual sex. Because of this, the police would not bother turning up on the doorstep of a 15 year old and asking to talk to them about it.

If the child was 11, it would be a crime, and the police would want to talk to the 11 year old about it, regardless of whether or not the 11 year old wanted to talk to them or make a complaint.

chocladoodle · 05/05/2012 23:30

SQ - I don't understand what point your trying to make. Are you agreeing with me or disagreeing? It's not clear from your posts.

Original poster
SardineQueen · 05/05/2012 23:26

" The police don't get to pick and choose what crimes they want to investigate, to say so gives out the impression that people shouldn't bother to report anything to them."

"Although the age of consent remains at 16, the law is not intended to prosecute
mutually agreed teenage sexual activity between two young people of a similar age,
unless it involves abuse or exploitation."

So that's all fine then. The law says the police are not interested in consensual sex between similarly aged teens. And they aren't. So there we have it.

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