What should the age of consent be?

This would be the normal age of consent, before romeo & juliet laws are used.

22 or older 9
21 10
20 5
19 6
18 71
17 36
16 113
15 35
14 43
13 33
12 23
11 or younger 50
Permission to consent should be decided by something other than age 86
Other (Add a comment) 3
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Comments ( 50 )
  • dappled

    You can make the age of consent anything you want. By making it the law, you're not necessarily going to make people obey it. People will have sex before they're ready (for all kinds of reasons, none of them generally good ones).

    The bigger issue is the scary rise of STIs and unplanned pregnancies. We need legislature, yes, but we need a damned sight more education and openness about sex and sexuality. And condoms need to be subsidised and very easily available in vending machines other than in pub toilets. We also need to make it seem "cool" to use a condom.

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    • koolbecky

      yeah i put 15 as a guide for sex but its up to each girl or boy as some people have different views on it, i think maybe as young as 14 is ok if both kids have thought about it and seem happy with themselves although i would encourage them to ask mum if they can do it in their own room for more relaxation rather than in a block of dirty garages or similar, becky x

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      • dappled

        Yeah, I agree with you. People are ready when they are ready. Although there does need to be an actual age to stop people abusing those who aren't ready.

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        • koolbecky

          yeah but in todays society anal is the normal sort of sex so it puts more pressure on young girls, i know girls of 14 who can't get a boyfriend unless they will do anal for them

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          • dappled

            Yeah, it happens. It's a bit disgusting when you think about it, that girls are pressured into things on the promise of a relationship. Although some people really do like anal. I've had girlfriends who specifically asked for it. They were the same people who liked a bit of biting and scratching and spanking, so maybe it was a pain thing.

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            • LittleGirlRapedAndSodomised#S2

              Sorry Dappled...

              https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ygrd29-_O3I

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    • Hmmaybe

      The laws are not meant to be obeyed they're meant to act as a guidline, if you make the legal age of consent 18, under 18s will still have sex but there will be much fewer 12 and 13 year olds having sex than if there were no law.

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  • nagasonavimana

    To quote Chef, "17. 17, you're ready."

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    • bleach_baby

      Totally agree and I was thinking of the same quote!

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  • whos-lovin'you

    people actually believe in 15 and below... thats just sick!!! even 16 is too young but 11 and 12?? sick pedo voters

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  • ManicMan

    I chose 18 because if you're old enough to vote, that should generally determine you old enough to fuck.I chose that age also because I think by at least that time you should be out of high school and if something"unexpected" happens like getting a girl pregnant at least you finished high school to get some type of job.And no I believe if you do have kids it should be in your 30's at least, definitely not your 20's!

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  • MissClaire

    I think its important to let people make mistakes so they learn, if we wait too long (22 years or whatever), they will take too long to make any decision on their own.
    You want your kids to leave the house at some point.

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  • TheOjibway84

    if anyone chosen 11 then you really need help >:(

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  • Angel_in_a_Glass_Dress

    18 is fine.

    many people will try to tell you that kids under that age are mature enough to decide for themselves.... but they're still financially dependent on their parent's income. So, being "mature" at that age means nothing if you're not supporting yourself.

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  • Pseodonihm

    I believe society as a whole, should get over the idea of capitalism and focus our attention on what is really important, our children. We should instill upon them all our knowledge. This includes sex education. These lessons can be given at age appropriate stages.

    For instance, when in preschool they should be taught that their private areas are not to be touched by someone they don't trust, and if someone does touch them there and it makes them uncomfortable they have the right to say no. And all children should be encouraged to speak out about abuse.

    Then, at say, fourth grade. They should have the male and female anatomy explained. At this point they should have a basic understanding of the mechanical process.

    Then at fifth grade or maybe later teach them about how sex should be done. What feels good, and what doesn't.

    Also, in my perfect world these children will also take social seminars. Manners and decorum. How you should act in public. How these practices fell out of the current curriculum, I do not know.

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  • dappled

    Wow. Three hundred and sixty six people voted on this. Who knew there were even this number of people on IIN? I wonder who they all are.

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  • maxamillion427

    If the person says its ok and they want it then it shouldnt matter how old they are.

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  • niniozo

    honestly. i think you should only have sex when you are sure you can deal with the risk of getting pregnant.

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  • dom180

    In the UK, 16 is the age of consent. It seems to work fairly well as a system here, it doesn't seem to have increased rates of teenage pregnancy above increases seen in the US. The bottom line is, if kids wanna have sex, nobody's going to be able to stop them without locking them in their bedrooms day and night. I have several friends who first had sex at 15 and lower. Age of consent won't stop anybody. I believe that in Spain, the age of consent is 13 (basically, as soon as they are physically able).

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  • christrindall

    i chose 13, NO not cause im a perv, im 18, i was having unprotected sex with guys as old as 50 when i was 11, cause i didnt know better, i say lower the age to 13, but start teaching kids whats what and where it can go, (both str8 & gay) while in primary school before puberty and they get in troubke by sticking it sumwhere it shiuldnt be, would also lower the chance of kids being abused by sick f**ken paedoohiles who get off on doing things with kids cause its illegal and a thrill for them.

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    • Atussa

      I am sorry for what you went through but I hope you reported those men you slept with, people like that who had no qualms about sleeping with someone so young are dangerous and will most likely molest some other young person, so please do the right thing, don't let young people be taken advantage of, report them, the authorities will understand you not reporting it for so long because you were so young.

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  • Tictac

    16 sounds good

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  • joybird

    I'm a mother - so I say 25!

    ;o)

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    • zenji

      I'm a mom, too. But I would consider imposing no sex until 25 child abuse.

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  • Zededd

    16 for responsibilities. 17, 18 for alcohol, 20 for sex, makeup and provocative clothing...
    that, or an IQ test!
    "if you are too stupid to know how to put a condom on the bannana, you are not allowed to have sex"
    i do NOT agree with 12 year old girls in short skirts, tight clothes and high-heels!
    i do NOT agree with 15 year old girls wearing makeup and pulling 18 year old guys.
    i do NOT agree with 15 year old kids getting served alcohol.
    but i had sex when i was 15. regretted it ever since. the girl i was with lost hers at 14... hmm.

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  • pobox2011

    I wish there were a test! While there are very few 16 year-olds that are mature enough to make that decision, there are also some in their 20s that are still not mature enough. I lost my virginty (and innocence) on my 16th birthday as the result of incest with my mother and it went on for nearly two years...I wasn't old enough.

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  • darren3

    84

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    • darren3

      I'm sorry, I meant 84.

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      • pixie_dust

        84, oops I meant 84? wtf??

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  • Who in the world would pick anything under 16?!

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    • nagasonavimana

      Child rapists, of course.

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      • Angel_in_a_Glass_Dress

        O_o

        You should perhaps learn what each state's law are before assuming that.

        Hawaii, for example, has the age of consent at 14 - as long as the partner isn't over 5 years older.

        So - by law - a 14 year old in Hawaii can have sex with a 19 year old, but not a 20 year old.

        Something to also consider when you're brining your minor teens to Hawaii for vacation. You might find that the law won't give a crap if your little angel gets laid by an 18-19 year old...

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  • sega31098

    13 or puberty (i.e. menstruation or first ejaculation), whichever comes later. I set this as the minimum.

    Reason why I chose this is because typically you should have sex ed at 11-12, before your sexual urges kick in. For me, my first ejaculation was at 13 and I quickly understood the concept of sex.

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  • handsignals

    At first you think 15 or 16 but then you watch Gag Factor and think nope nope nope 21!

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  • robynemilie

    at 15 i think you're smart enough with enough common sense, but i don't think there should be a law, i think there should be a sort of guideline
    or you should get tested for your mental age and if your mental age is a certain year you should be allowed to have sex :P

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  • gy9

    No age of consent

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  • GeekiTheBrave

    who ever voted 11 or younger is a disgusting freak..

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  • cocksuckerzunite

    People do what they want anyway.

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  • cocksuckerzunite

    It's already 16 in UK and 12 in Holland :)

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  • Dot123

    10+

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  • XxKatiexX

    21

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  • 16 both straight and gay, although I didn't lose my virginity until 17 and I find oddly that a lot of people lose it then, either because they're ready or they didn't make pre 16 or 16 and don't want to lose it at 18 lol, which I admit was kind of my reason I just slept with the first girl that offered :L

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  • Soulfire45

    In some places it's whenever puberty starts for girls, it's when they start their first period, for us guys, usually when pubic hair starts to grow

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  • letsgetiton623

    I was no more ready at 18 to have sex then I was at 16

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  • mateo

    im thinking 16 is ok,but its really up 2 the individual.sex can be really,really dangerous in a # of ways,but its also totally neccesary.those fluids r gonna cum out of u in one way or another,whether it be while your sleeping or walking down the street,if ur not getting them out yourself.wow.

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  • I think 16 is a good age for people to decide and as dom180 says, in the UK that's the age of consent (I live there too) and it does seem to work rather well. That's just my view though.

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    • nagasonavimana

      So a middle aged man (let's say Hugh Grant) can have sex with a 16 year old girl? Or a 16 year old boy?

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      • Actually in my country, yes. It's perfectly legal.

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        • Angel_in_a_Glass_Dress

          As in some states in the US too.

          In Virginia parental consent is required between the ages of 16 to 18.

          I knew one girl who was 16 and dating a 19 (or 20) year old. Her step father called the cops on the older boy but.... her natural father had legal custody and had given permission.

          Therefore no matter how mad her step-daddy was... he had no legal say in it, and the girl continued to sleep with her boyfriend unhampered by the law.

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  • pixie_dust

    maybe a different way to measure maturity could be if the person gets good grades. particularly if they're in advanced classes and get good grades. that combined with their age and their parents' opinion.

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