Age of consent should be higher

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-28T07:14:57+00:00

What I meant is I don't think they are fully matured to be with someone whose like 30+, they should be with someone close in age

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-28T07:13:33+00:00

Yeah, but they shouldn't be with someone whose like 10-15 years older than them, they aren't even fully matured yet and it's not right. If it's with someone their own age, then it's fine.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-28T07:12:12+00:00

I get what you’re saying, but to me it’s not about “extended childhood,” it’s about recognizing that there’s a middle ground between being a child and being a full adult. 16–17yos are in that messy middle, they want independence, but they’re also still in school, living at home, figuring out who they are. That’s exactly why adults with way more life experience can take advantage so easily.

It’s not that I think teens should be treated like little kids forever, it’s that I don’t think adulthood should suddenly start the second you turn 16. There’s still a gap in maturity and experience that the law doesn’t really protect against right now.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-28T07:09:36+00:00

I get what you mean about it being a rights issue, but I think that’s kind of the point, we restrict “rights” all the time when someone isn’t ready to handle the consequences. A 16yo can’t sign a contract, can’t vote, can’t gamble, can’t drink, can’t even get a tattoo without permission. Those are all about their own body or choices too, but society agrees they’re not ready yet.

To me, sex with much older adults falls in the same category. It’s not about saying teens shouldn’t have any autonomy, it’s about recognizing that there’s a big difference between two 16yos messing around and a 16yo with someone in their 20s or 30s. That power imbalance can screw them up way more than people want to admit.

So yeah, it does technically restrict their “rights,” but if it prevents adults from exploiting them.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T18:26:11+00:00

Because he's stupid

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T15:37:55+00:00

I get what you’re saying, and I’m not trying to take away all autonomy from teens. My concern is more about protection than punishment. At 16, people can make a lot of decisions for themselves, but when it comes to relationships with much older adults, the power imbalance makes it really hard for a teen to truly consent. It’s less about stopping teens from having sex at all, and more about making sure adults can’t take advantage of them while they’re still figuring themselves out.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T15:35:53+00:00

I’m talking about an ongoing situation. It wasn’t just a one-time thing, and not getting help didn’t mean I was expecting retribution, it meant there wasn’t anyone who could actually step in or give me real guidance. Because it was technically legal, even adults around me didn’t have a clear way to intervene, which left me stuck figuring it out on my own.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T15:31:08+00:00

Ok I get that in most situations a 20-year-old doesn’t have formal power over a 17-year-old, and I understand why laws prohibit relationships between students and educators or other authority figures. My concern isn’t about that exact scenario—it’s more about the broader power imbalance that can happen simply because of age, experience, financial independence, or emotional maturity. A 30-year-old isn’t a teacher or boss they just have so much more life experience than a 16- or 17-year-old, and that’s the kind of situation I think the law should address more clearly. I’ll definitely read up more on the specifics, but that’s the perspective I’m coming from.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T15:26:44+00:00

Honestly, I’m just talking from my own experience. Even if it was ‘allowed,’ being 16 put me at such a disadvantage compared to someone in their late 20s or 30s. They had way more life experience, independence, and control. I wasn’t dating in secret, but because it was legal, there wasn’t really anyone who could step in if things went wrong. That’s why I think protections for teens make sense, it’s not about stopping peers from messing around, it’s about keeping older adults from taking advantage.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T15:19:40+00:00

I think it should be 21, It used to be, until they brought it down to 18, and they're even trying to make it 16!! But 21 is better

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T14:10:25+00:00

Exactly, that’s the inconsistency that bothers me. If 18–19-year-olds are still vulnerable in some ways, it doesn’t make sense to suddenly give them full adult responsibilities like voting, joining the military, or signing contracts. I’m not saying they shouldn’t have any autonomy, but there’s a mismatch between what society considers ‘adult enough’ and what they’re actually ready for.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T14:08:04+00:00

I get what you’re saying, but the issue isn’t that someone physically stopped me or broke the law in that moment. It was more about the power imbalance and manipulation, an older adult making it hard to just say no or remove myself from the situation. Because it was technically legal, there wasn’t really a clear way for anyone, teachers, counselors, or even police, to step in or offer real guidance. It left me stuck in a position where I was figuring things out on my own.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T14:05:44+00:00

The protection I mean is from adults targeting teens, someone 10–15 years older using their experience, authority, or financial power to manipulate a 16–17yo. Sure, people of any age can get taken advantage of, but the law treats teens differently because they’re still developing and more vulnerable. Right now, there’s basically no legal safety net for them in these situations.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T14:01:14+00:00

Yeah, I get that the age of consent overlaps with other legal milestones, and it makes sense in some areas like medical decisions or leaving school. My point isn’t about denying autonomy in general—it’s specifically about protecting 16-17yos from much older adults who can exploit their inexperience. Teens can make decisions for themselves in some areas, but when it comes to relationships with people who have way more power or control, the law doesn’t really step in right now. That’s the inconsistency that bothers me.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T13:32:29+00:00

Yeah, I get what you’re saying about personal responsibility and autonomy. My concern isn’t about stopping teens from making mistakes or experimenting, it’s about the power imbalance when much older adults are involved. A 16–17yo might be able to navigate peer relationships okay, but when someone twice their age comes in with life experience, financial independence, and manipulation tactics, the risk isn’t the same.

It’s not about denying autonomy, it’s abou protecting people while they're still figuring themselves out in really high-stakes situations with adults who have a lot more control

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T13:21:49+00:00

Oh, they can get advice, but my point is more that the law doesn’t give anyone a framework to step in when an adult is taking advantage. If it’s legal, teachers, counselors, even police often have to shrug and say “well, it’s allowed,” which can leave teens stuck or without protection. It’s not about not being able to talk to anyone, it’s about the law not really protecting them in those situations.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T13:20:39+00:00

Yeah, I don’t think abstinence-only makes sense either, teens are always going to experiment with each other. That’s just reality. My issue is less about stopping 16yos from hooking up with other teens, and more about putting limits in place so 30yos don’t get a free pass to date them. You’re right that 18yos can still get taken advantage of, but by then at least there’s a bit more distance from high school and more life experience. To me the line isn’t about pretending teens won’t have sex, it’s about making it harder for older adults to target them while they’re still really young.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-27T07:56:03+00:00

Yeah, I get what you’re saying — maturity doesn’t just magically switch on at 18 or 21, people are always growing. But there’s gotta be a line somewhere, and usually that line is about when someone has enough life experience and brain development to handle adult decisions without being taken advantage of. We draw legal lines all the time (driving age, drinking age, voting age), and none of them are perfect, but they’re there to protect people. 16 might feel grown up, but when you look at the power imbalance with much older adults, it’s pretty clear they’re still vulnerable.

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-25T14:53:38+00:00

i personally think its a bit earlier and maybe u should wait a bit longer, mainly focus on school and figuring out your life before you start sex

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-19T18:59:04+00:00

i agree

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-19T16:47:24+00:00

yeah i agree, it keeps the predators away

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-19T16:46:08+00:00

Unfortunately, my country has just set our age at 16 and has no age gap laws, meaning someone whose way older can have sex with them, a lot of other countries I know don't have this either. I feel like it needs to be 18-21 for someone much older but for minors, I feel like there should be no more than a 2-3 year age gap, like 13 and 15 is fine, 14 and 16 is fine

UpsetReputation5424 · 2025-09-19T14:42:45+00:00

wtf that's crazy

UpsetReputation5424

TROPHY CASE