Pauline Latham is quite right to call for the minimum age for marriage to be increased to 18. You cannot even leave school before that age these days, as proponents of lowering the voting age might care to keep in mind.
As for the age of consent, we need a criminal offence of sexual activity with any person under the age of 18 who was more than two years younger than oneself, with a maximum sentence equal to twice the difference in age, abolition of different rules for “positions of trust” and for one sex rather than the other, a ban on abortion or contraception for those under 18 without parental knowledge and consent, and the application of the law on indecent images equally to boys and to girls.
We also need the removal of any financial liability of male victims for pregnancies resulting from their sexual abuse unless they decided as adults to seek to make contact with their children. That one is already becoming an issue, so to speak, in the United States, so we may look forward to it here before very long. No one disputes that rapists should have no parental responsibility for the children of their crimes. But this one is looking as if it might be let through by default.
Another hung Parliament is coming, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. I will stand for this parliamentary seat of North West Durham, if I can raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign. Please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
As for the age of consent, we need a criminal offence of sexual activity with any person under the age of 18 who was more than two years younger than oneself, with a maximum sentence equal to twice the difference in age, abolition of different rules for “positions of trust” and for one sex rather than the other, a ban on abortion or contraception for those under 18 without parental knowledge and consent, and the application of the law on indecent images equally to boys and to girls.
We also need the removal of any financial liability of male victims for pregnancies resulting from their sexual abuse unless they decided as adults to seek to make contact with their children. That one is already becoming an issue, so to speak, in the United States, so we may look forward to it here before very long. No one disputes that rapists should have no parental responsibility for the children of their crimes. But this one is looking as if it might be let through by default.
Another hung Parliament is coming, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. I will stand for this parliamentary seat of North West Durham, if I can raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign. Please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
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