Rape crisis - GPs left in the dark by child sex laws

THE concerns of GPs over difficulties in prescribing contraceptives to those below the age of consent has again highlighted the urgent need for clarity in our child sex laws.

Controversy over our new statutory rape laws has been simmering since emergency legislation was rushed through the Dáil, last week, in a bid to close a constitutional loophole that emerged after the Supreme Court struck down the nation’s 1935 child sex laws as unconstitutional.

In the latest development, family doctors have called on the Government to address the issue of prescribing contraceptives to young patients.