Are there any arguments for getting rid of age of consent laws?

Answer 1

Yes, there are

Firrstly, age of consent laws can be very confusing for kids as there are such huge differences in opinions. For example in the USA, it can be 18. In the neighbouring country Mexico it can be 12 in some districts. Thats a huge difference. Such indecisiveness among lawmakers can breed contempt for the law.

Secondly, there have been many cases where age of consent laws have ruined many young peoples lives. For example 17 year old Marlow Wilson was jailed for receiving consensual oral sex from a 15 year old at a party. He received a 10 year sentence, but out of sheer luck served only two. These laws are indiscriminate and do not take into consideration individual circumstances.

Thirdly, one of the main arguments for age of consent laws is to tackle teen pregnancies. However, western countries with very low age of consent laws such as Sapin where it is 13 have far lower teen pregnancy rates than the US where age of consent is generally between 16 and 18.

Fourthly, such laws are intrusive to male teens. According to some studies, men reach their sexual peak in their teens. It is unfair for elderly men or middle aged lawmakers to pass laws whose only affect would be to make youngsters feel ashamed about their hormones or natural curiosity.

Fifthly, such laws were initially intended to protect children from predators, but in practise these laws have shifted and extended their focus to meddling in teenagers private lives.

Sixthly, teenagers have a tendency to rebel. Therefore passing such laws might arguably have the opposite effect.

Seventhly, a lot of advocates of such laws tend to follow conservative political views which are often motivated by religious values such as "abstinence" or "no sex before marriage". But why should religious values be imposed upon the irreligious?

Eighthly. puberty rather than date of birth determines the sexual maturity of humans and other animals. Also mental maturity is not always linked to someones age, but rather can differ widely among people of various age groups.

Ninthly, these laws are often written by people who are parents themselves, or lawmakers have been influenced by parents, which as a result can be biased.

Finally, people cannot help at what age they fall in love. Some people do not fall in love until their thirties. Others do in their early teens. It is unethical to allow strangers in suits and ties to interfere in such intimate, personal and sensitive situations. Such matters should rather be handled by parents.