To wonder why the age of consent is different in different countries?

[ahhhhhpushit]

What do people think about this?

I've always wondered why some countries have it so different to others - with ranges from 12 to 21 (essentially the whole of puberty).

See here:

www.avert.org/age-of-consent.htm

Some interesting ones -

Bulgaria 14
Egypt 18
Nigeria 13
Spain 13

Interesting that quite a few countries have different ages for girls and boys (with girls usually 2-3 years younger).

What factors do you think come into play? Do you think there is a right age. Have we got it wrong?

My opinion is that is should be 18. A friend from another contry made me laugh once by saying it is funny how in the UK you can be old enough to have a child with your MP but not old enough to vote for them.

Thought provoking!

Lots of things are different in different countries. Not only the age you can vote but how or even whether you can vote at all. Traffic speeds. Prices. Taxes. Privacy. Hell, even the languages are different (damme, they should all speak english like decent Christians - oh wait, religions are different too). That's cos they're, like, different countries innit. Where things are, like, different.

Whether 16 is a sensible age for consent is another question.

Yanbu to wonder, it's a very interesting question. Of course countries are different but how did they reach the decision and - as you say - have we got it right?

By Annie couldnt you say that there are some things that are constant the world over. Like human biology for example. Human psychology. Both inextricably linked to whether someone is ready to have sex.

The age of criminal responsibility varies widely too. Is 8 in Scotland but 14 in Spain for example.

The age of menus traction is probably different in different countries ( I'm sure it's younger in uk/us than less developed countries eg)

It's cultural I think. It's not so long ago that girls of 12 and 13 could be married in this country

It's interesting isnt it that in Spain the age of consent is 13. A civilised country we'd all agree. If you slept with a 13 year olf in this country you'd have hell to pay. We recoil at the thought. But only a few hundred miles away in a country that has Mango, Zara, McDonalds etc etc it's fine.

Heather are you saying it might be a pregnancy risk thing?

Got an iPhone, Heatherhills?

Yes, wot she said about menstruation being affected by local factors eg diet. Also although you may say human psychology is a constant but culture plays a major part, both in upbringing of children (thus emotionally and/or intellectually ready earlier/later) and in attitudes towards sex, for example. I may have got this wrong but I think even some states in the US have different ages of consent to others.

Grr, lose either the "although" or the "but" from the middle sentence.

It used to be much younger in this country too.

Many social/cultural factors come into it.

I think the Uk has it about right but it's hard to understand the ages of consent in other countries without fully understanding how that country works. Spain did make me think that they ABU though!

What is menus traction? Can't google it. Do you mean menarch?

I think the age of constent in Holland is 13. Need to look up Belgium, that might be useful for me to know.

menus traction looks to me like an autocorrect for menstruation!

YABU to wonder, it's fairly clear that it's due to historical factors and differing attitudes, the same as with anything that differs between countries.

YANBU to think it would be an interesting thing to discuss.

It was introduced in this country in 1870ish(?) after a campaign against the Contagious Diseases Acts which forced women alleged to be prostitutes to be 'treated' for STD's so that soldiers/sailors had 'safe' access to the sex industry. Needless to say, the men didn't have to be checked. It culminated in WT Stead, a leftwing journalist (who died on the Titanic) writing 'Maiden tribute to modern Babylon' describing his purchase of a 12 yr old for £5. The resulting furore resulted in the introduction of the age of consent (to penis in vagina sex) at 16.
So these things are the outcome of political struggles and campaigns, either openly or unacknowledged The prevailing view of what kind of sexual activity is acceptable changes along with other attitudes, particularly about women

Age of consent in the US is 16 or 17 or 18 depending on the state.

So between 5 and 3 years before you are allowed to buy alcohol...

It's cultural - not constant.

at auto correct

Menstruation on average started a lot later in late 19th century; 21 I think??

It's an interesting subject. Oral sex is illegal in 18 US states apparently.

I think 16 is a good age.

I think 16 is a good age too Fabby. But now we cant drink, smoke, vote and now leave school until 18 it seems a little out of place?

I think 16 is about right. Any younger and you run the risk of young teenagers being exploited by older men. I don't think it is necessary for it to be older as generally a 16 year is usually mature enough to decide if they want to enter into a sexual relationship.

13!!!!!!!!??????