I wrote a couple of papers on this and presented one speech in high school specifically about the laws in VA/DC/MD. I love this subject. I think it's fascinating.
Personally, I think the legal age of consent should be 16 for everybody. However, I also think that anybody over 18 shouldn't be allowed to have a relationship with anybody under 18. There should also be a window of 3 years age-difference in which people are allowed to have relationships. For example, a 19 year-old should be allowed to have a consenting relationship with a 16-18 year old. I think that as long as it's consenting, there isn't much problem with it. It's when you get the 35 year-olds trying to have sex with the 16 year-olds that the problems arise. This 3 year rule wouldn't apply to anybody under 16 though.
If a case came before a court of a parent freaking out because they caught their 15 or 14 year-old in bed with a 16 year-old though, it should be handled on a personal level. So long as both partners were consenting, it shouldn't be considered rape or anything. Basically I think I'm saying it should be 16 with some flexibility on a case-to-case basis.
all that said, i had sex when i was 15 with a 17 year-old and I don't think I turned out any worse because of it. I also took part in sexual acts with guys from the time I was 12, so, again, I think it depends on the person.
Wow, that was all so much less eloquent than it was in my papers in high school. i'll have to see if i still have them.
Personally, I think the legal age of consent should be 16 for everybody. However, I also think that anybody over 18 shouldn't be allowed to have a relationship with anybody under 18. There should also be a window of 3 years age-difference in which people are allowed to have relationships. For example, a 19 year-old should be allowed to have a consenting relationship with a 16-18 year old. I think that as long as it's consenting, there isn't much problem with it. It's when you get the 35 year-olds trying to have sex with the 16 year-olds that the problems arise. This 3 year rule wouldn't apply to anybody under 16 though.
If a case came before a court of a parent freaking out because they caught their 15 or 14 year-old in bed with a 16 year-old though, it should be handled on a personal level. So long as both partners were consenting, it shouldn't be considered rape or anything. Basically I think I'm saying it should be 16 with some flexibility on a case-to-case basis.
all that said, i had sex when i was 15 with a 17 year-old and I don't think I turned out any worse because of it. I also took part in sexual acts with guys from the time I was 12, so, again, I think it depends on the person.
Wow, that was all so much less eloquent than it was in my papers in high school. i'll have to see if i still have them.