Teenagers want law on sexual consent to protect them

TEENAGERS consulted about possible changes to the age of sexual consent have told the Government they want the law on the subject to protect them rather than allow them unrestricted freedom.

The results of the rare young people’s consultation exercise, involving more than 200 15 to 18-year-olds from around the country, will be released this afternoon by Minister for Children Brian Lenihan. He ordered the process following the rushed enactment of legislation at the height of the political and constitutional crisis that arose from the Government’s handling of the law on statutory rape during the summer.

Legislation hurriedly drafted to replace a long- standing law deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, raised the age of consent to 17 years but treats males and females differently for criminal prosecution. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection, set up in the wake of the statutory rape crisis to examine how the law treats a wide range of child welfare issues, has already received a dossier of the teenagers’ views.

One of the committee’s 13 members, Fine Gael TD Jim O’Keeffe, said it was receiving the same level of attention as formal submissions received from statutory bodies and child welfare groups.

“It was the right approach to involve young people and give them ownership of the process. The views expressed will feed into our final report for the Oireachtas in the same way as any other submission,” he said.

Mr O’Keeffe said the consultation process had revealed concerns by young people that the law should set down firm but fair boundaries on sexual activity among their age group.

“I did not get a sense of them wanting unlicensed freedom. The teenagers were very responsible in what they looked for. They did not all agree of course but they were very reasonable in their attitudes.”

The views were collected during consultations in Dublin, Cork, Tullamore and Sligo last month.

The teenagers received invitations which were sent to all secondary schools, Youth Reach centres, student councils, the National Youth Council of Ireland, Comhairlí na nÓg and other young people’s organisations.

Travellers’ rights group Pavee Point also conducted an internal consultation with teenagers using its services, and the results are included in the overall report being launched today.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Child Protection meets again in private this Wednesday as the November 30 deadline for its final report approaches.

It has already prepared a draft report.