Age of consent

Any law setting an age of consent is going to be unfair because sexual development is a continuous process. A child does not change from being non-sexual just a day before the age of consent to being fully sexual on the day they reach that age. There is of course a need in law to set an age of consent to protect children from unscrupulous adults, but this only works if the law is interpreted wisely by the judiciary. It seems that many girls mature earlier than boys, and there have been some recent cases in the UK where a judge has given a very light sentence to the adult in the case of underage sex when the girl is well developed and willing, only for there to be a public outcry later that the sentence was too lenient. In my opinion, the judge in these cases was exercising his wisdom and recognising that sex between an adult male and a sexually developed and willing but underage girl is not in the same league as molesting an unwilling child. This is where I think the parents should have a say in the matter, as the pollster asks in the next to last question in the poll. The parents are in the best position to know their child, and should be trusted to give permission when appropriate.

As a father of a teenage girl and a preteen girl, I have to agree. My 13 year old daughter is certainly not an immature, unwilling child, and I have given her blanket permission to engage in sexual activity, as long as she does so safely and willingly. My 11 year old I'm not so sure about, but she doesn't show many signs of interest in it yet, so it's not an issue right now.

So far, the only sexual activity my 13 year old has engaged in is with me, but she's shown a lot of interest in some of her peers as well, it just hasn't come to fruition yet.

Regarding your 13 year old daughter, I think its perfectly normal for her to show a sexual interest in her peers. My daughter was certainly involved with boys when she was that age. A question relevant to this poll would be how would you feel if a much older male (let's say the same age as you) was interested in her ? And if she liked the man, would you permit sexual activity ? Its a question that many fathers can't ignore, since many of us must be aware that there are older men interested in our daughters.

"So far, the only sexual activity my 13 year old has engaged in is with me." Did I read that correctly? Incest?! WTF?!

Obviously Rico thinks she should learn from some idiot high school boy in the back of a Huyndai.....actually he probably thinks she should not learn at all until she's 21! WTF, Rico....it's 2008, pull your head out.