How can society best protect vulnerable people?
The claim is made that age-of-consent laws protect the vulnerable. In practice, they give undue power to those who already have power — police and prosecutors — while removing power from some of society’s most vulnerable populations — notably, gay youth. We believe that vulnerable people are better served by giving them more choices, not fewer. Children and youth can be made less vulnerable by giving them more options. Those who need to escape abusive family members or other abusive situations need more options than we as a society currently provide them with. Those who live in poverty, those who face racial, religious, and sexual prejudice — all need more options, not fewer.
The claim is made that age-of-consent laws protect the vulnerable. In practice, they give undue power to those who already have power – police and prosecutors – while removing power from some of society’s most vulnerable populations – notably, gay youth. We believe that vulnerable people are better served by giving them more choices, not fewer. Children and youth can be made less vulnerable by giving them more options. Those who need to escape abusive family members need more options than we currently provide them with. Those who live in poverty, those who face racial, religious, and sexual prejudice – all need more options, not fewer.
