On the 13th of February the outspoken gay rights group OUTRAGE! launched a campaign to have the age of consent for both homosexuals and heterosexuals harmonised at fourteen as it is in Iceland, Italy, San Marino, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and Albania. They also made the points that in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Malta sex is legal between consenting partners as young as twelve and that in Germany sex at fourteen is legal as long as it is with a partner not more than three years older.

As part of its campaign OUTRAGE! wants better quality more detailed sex education taught to all children from Primary school onwards. They advocate the non-bias provision of information on Hetero, Homo and Bisexuality* as well as practical advice on how to refuse unwanted sexual advances, how to talk about safer sex and sustain a fulfilling relationship.

During the launch speeches (outside the Houses of Parliament) leading gay activist Peter Tatchell claimed that "Promoting the right of young people to control their own bodies is the most effective way to reduce the incidence of sexual abuse, unwanted pregnancies, abortions and sexually transmitted diseases amongst the under sixteens." Making the case for early comprehensive sex education he went on to say "It is important to provide explicit, factual information before young people begin their sexual lives. Early and continuing sex education encourages wiser, more responsible decisions by teenagers during the vulnerable period when they start experimenting with sex and relationships." Fellow OUTRAGE! campaigner Marina Cronin added "Since children can be held legally responsible for criminal behavior from the age of ten, it is illogical for the law to say that people below sixteen are not capable of being responsible enough to consent to sex."

In the Netherlands, freer and franker attitudes towards teenage sex have led to greater sexual wisdom and a rate of pregnancy and abortion in girls under sixteen that is 1/7 of that in the UK.

According to the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes 33.8% of women now aged between 16 and 59 had their first sexual experience before the age of fifteen and 55.8% of men in the same age group. Other research suggests that 1/3 of lesbians had sex with other women before the age of sixteen and 2/3 of gay men.

Peter Tatchell also maintains that "The best way to protect young people against sexual abuse is by challenging the idea that sex is something sordid that should be kept hidden.. Sexually informed and confident young people are more likely to resist sexual exploitation and report abuse.."

It is unclear whether OUTRAGE! has yet got backing for its’ campaign from a any MP(s), and having failed to secure a joint age of consent at sixteen it seems unlikely that fourteen will be adopted in the near future.

* Illegal under section 28 of the Local Government Act, Click Here for text

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© John Roulston-Bates, 1996.