Your views on Underage Sex?

[Ramare]

Over 'ere in the US of A the age of consent is 18. My views on underage sex? Simple: 14 or over, maximum of two years ago difference, they need to both be in a relationship with each other, and major emphasis on safe sex. Oh, and, of course, there has to be firm mutual consent.

 

[Alleged_Alec]

Dutchie over here, so yeah... We tend to be pretty pragmatic about this sort of shit and say: "Well, you're probably going to do it anyway, so I won't try to stop you. Just do it safe, will you?"

I see the younger staff at my workplace cringe up at a cup of fresh-brewed coffee or a lovely Earl Grey tea, but grab a can of sickly Red Bull or V or someshit. Those same kids will swill down flavoured vodka drinks and sneer at my German beers, fine wine or aged scotch. And when we bring in food to share, they won't touch the delicious fine cheeses, cured meats or water crackers, but scoff down the pizza or doughnuts. Why? Because they don't have the sensibilities or mature tastebuds to properly enjoy good food.

Kind of a condescending way to see it. Some people also don't like 'your' beer, wine and other beverages. Why does it suddenly matter when the person not liking it is a teenager?

Sex is the same. Sure, it might feel good for a few minutes, but they have no fucking idea what they're doing or how to enjoy it properly. That, and they drink and smoke for the sake of it - same as having sex. I think kids should wait until they're old enough to appreciate and respect these things properly.

This is where your argument breaks down though. One of the main ways of making it more enjoyable is to get better at sex. Which you do with practice.

 

[Waddles]

It depends on what you are talking about.

Two underage people having sex with each other? Or an of age person having sex with someone underage? The first one isnt so bad, the second is dodgy.

 

[ShotgunZombie]

Well from my own experience I'll leave you with this.
Teens are going to have sex whether you like it or not, whether their ready for it or not, and whether they have all the facts or not.
So the only thing that parent's and teacher's can actually do to help is inform them. I don't mean yell at them and tell them that's it's wrong or immoral or some other stupid nonsense. I mean actually inform them about the consequences. Teach them about teen pregnancy, STDs, that they don't know their bodies as well as they think they do, and how to properly use a god-damn condom. Perhaps if they had a little more information to go on other than "I know when to pull out, don't worry!" and were a little more responsible society wouldn't have to be so uptight about it.

 

[breadsammich]

I'd say it's just about the most irresponsible thing you can do at that age, but it's not a national crisis or anything.

 

[Bobzer77]

The rule when I was in school was once you're over 13 within 3 years is fine.

Other than that I think we should be educating teens on how to have sex safely rather than trying to stop them having it (yeah... thats working). Situation would be a lot better imo.

 

[Thaluikhain]

In Australia, vaginal sex is legal at 16, anal at 18, provided that both parties are no more than 2 years apart.

Not true. It varies between the states and territories, but anal at 18 is only in Queensland, and the 2 year rule is only for UA sex in the ACT. Otherwise, consent is at 16 or 17, except in places where it has to be 18 if the person is in a position of responsbility.

 

[orangeban]

While two underage kids having sex I don't see as a *massive* deal, I think they should really just wait. If they're talking about having sex seriously then they're... what? 14, 15 already? Just wait a year or two, it won't kill you.

 

[Blaster395]

So the only thing that parent's and teacher's can actually do to help is inform them.

Unfortunately in the US abstinence-only education is becoming more widespread and, compared to no education, actually makes the whole problem worse.

 

[Zaverexus]

I think it's whatever. It is one's own decision to make.
That said, I think such things should be reserved for people in a serious loving relationship, but to each his own.

Edit: What I was told was essentially "You should wait, but if you're going to do it at least do it safely"

 

[thelonewolf266]

Arbitrary ages limits for anything are silly but also necessary because there's no way to judge it on a case by case basis which would be the only truly fair way.If I believed my kids where mature enough to handle it I wouldn't have a problem with them doing it.

 

[JMeganSnow]

What's your view on underage sex, then?
It can be anywhere from sluts going around doing it in the toilets with three people a day, or mature rational 15 year olds (I say 15 as it's close to 16 - legal age here) who have talked about it a lot, and decided that as long as they're very very careful, then it's a good thing, as they believe they're in love.
Do you find both situations to be the same? Both unacceptable as the law is the law, or both fine as it's their lives?
Basically, what do you think on the matter?

I don't think it's the purpose of law to tell people when they ought to be having sex. Nor do I see any particular benefits of abstinence or virginity. I don't care if people are "very much in love" or believe they're in love or they just want to know what all the fuss is about.

As a parent, all I'd be concerned about would be taking care to limit risk of pregnancy and disease. But sex is *good*. By all means, go for it.

 

[Blow_Pop]

As long as they are being careful and are informed of what can go wrong etc I'm fine with it but no younger than 15/16. I don't think anyone younger than that needs to be having sex. Though there are some over 20 year olds that I don't believe should be having sex......Tis all a matter of how informed you are and if you are going to be careful.

 

[TheHitcher]

My god, what is wrong with some of you?! "If it's in the law then it's okay." That really is the worst kind of thinking one can adopt. Really, no one should be having sex below the age of 18. Most teenagers are immature and completely irresponsible and mostly unwilling to bare the consequences of their foolish actions. Difference is, you're officially an adult at 18, so if you screw up, you're fully responsible for everything. Some adults may not take responsibility, but that's another issue. Even 16 is just kind of wrong. The body isn't even fully developed. I can't believe some people think that it's okay at the age of 13.

 

[Gudrests]

If both parties consent completely than I have no issue with it provided the age difference is within the bounds set up by that equation that I can't recall at the moment.

The thing is that the younger they get the harder it is to be sure that consent is really there, as they might not be in a position to make informed decisions. As a flat limit I'd have to say 14 is what I'd be ok with, 13's a little weird and anything lower leaves me feeling uneasy.

Half your age + 7? I think thats it.

 

[Henkie36]

Well, that law of ''not having sex before you reach the age of 16'' is put in place mostly to get some conviction out of a rape law suit. Remember, sex is easy to prove, rape is almost impossible to prove.

With that in mind, there isn't really an age from where I say ''you can only have sex from there on in''. Although there is a moral limit to this, this is different for everyone. Some are ready at 14, others not until they reach 18, it's a very personal decision.

Then of course, there is the issue of birth control. How young are people when they start thinking about this? I mean, does a 13 year old boy think about this when he's about to go off? I don't think so. And if he does find out that nine months later the result does breathe, what could he do about it? And what would happen to a girl if they were of the same age?

 

[LostTimeLady]

It's a tricky one. In Britian we have one of the highest teenage pregancy rates in Europe partly because young people have having sex underage and haven't had the correct sex education up until that point.

The thing is, I don't think most controceptives are avalible to underage young people so that compounds the problem.

The reason why there's an age limit (did you know it used to be lower?) is because at such a young age there is a blured line between what is consent and what is not, especially when one party is older than the other. Legally a young person in Britian is still esentially a child at 16 (despite what bus tickets cost) and so it becomes not about maturity but about age. And sometimes, with relationships, those two things are the same thing. Maturity comes with age when relationships are involved.

You'll notice I'm avoiding giving a person opinion up until now but here it is. I don't think underage sex is a good thing. Not for the young people or anyone else. Setting aside adults or older than 16 year olds taking advantage of underage people I don't think that even two concenting 14 year olds should be having sex. (Also setting aside any Christian views I have as well).

At 14 I didn't have a sexual cell in my body (although my cells were reproducing asexually, sorry biology joke) and emotionally I would not have been ready. I over think things alot so I definately know what I'm emotionally capable of and that, at age 14, would not be something I could go through with.

Girls in particular are most at risk because to them the line between sex and love is blurred, for a girl sex is love but if they get sex before love that can damage any future relationships as they think that one will always equal the other and visa versa.

Anyway, there is so much more to life than having sex, young people seem to treat it like some sort of badge of honour. By the time people hit their 20s sex stops being such a big deal, I wish that message could get through to the poor young people who think that the only passage to adulthood is sex.

 

[Something Amyss]

I think kids shouldn't have sex. But I also rationally know telling kids not to have sex is like asking your dog not to hump everything in sight.

 

[Get_A_Grip_]

Erm, I'm okay with people over 14 having sex. Provided they use condoms.