http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22459815

She has to be working an angle or trying to justify something that happened... or something.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Age_of_Consent_-_Global.svg
Just to inform discussion.

We have no idea what actually has happened in many of these cases. Though at the moment we should not lump any of these cases with Gary Glitter right away. Though lowering the age of consent is not a good move.


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There's a difference between rape and consensual sex. Sex with a child under the age of 13 is statutory rape irrespective of whether it was consensual or not. Between the ages of 13 and 16, the difference in age becomes more important.

Yes and if the person is more than a couple of years older then that could be a problem. Though considering the adverts about domestic violence between teens in that case even a narrow age gap should not be a bar to prosecutions for rape within a relationship. While girls might mature earlier than boys they could still benefit from protection under the law.

Age of consent should be 13 says paedophile?
I'd have to wonder.

I think that she is a lawyer for one of the accused. Though changing the age might be a very bad thing in terms of child protection. It might actually encourage paedophiles to target 13 year olds.

A lot of 12 year olds are sending naked pictures to each other.

Just saying.

To each other is not the same that to a significantly older adult.
I think that in the US there's an age gap limit for people under 21? Aka if you're over 21 having sex with a 16 year old, it's not ok, but if you're 17 it is?
I might be making this up.

13 year old is way too young regardless. I wonder how many of those kids really are interested in sex and how many really only react to peer pressure.

From what I've heard they're starting young these days which isn't really surprising considering what is thrown at them from a young age.

I don't agree with lowering the age of consent at all.

+1
It's that age, not for physical reasons, but for mental ones.

I think the USA is strict on their over 21 policy but in Italy there's the 2 year age difference rule

There are similar policies all over the place. I'm sure bigD has talked about it in Germany, and the laws in Japan are pretty complex - although the age of consent is 13, in practice their indecency laws make it illegal until much older.

I think it's stupid to criminalise young people who choose to experiment, but most would agree that a 45 year old (or however old the defendant was) really shouldn't be messing with middle-school girls. Especially from a position of perceived authority.

Don't you mean criminalise young boys?
When two under sixteens sleep together, it always seems to be the boy that gets into the most trouble.

Do you mean apart from pregnancy , bullying and stigma?