Teens do not want to lowerage of consent

I AM a counselling psychologist and psychotherapist who works with teenagers.

I designed and co-facilitate a drugs prevention and personal development programme in secondary schools in Cork city and county. Part of this programme involves relationship and sex education. A colleague and I are therefore privy to much of what goes on in the teenage world.

With regard to the debate on the age of consent, you may be interested in what our young people think. Every year we ask their opinion on such matters and, for the past five years, according to our records, the vast majority of 15 to 17-year-olds believe the age of consent should be 17 or older.