Minors having Sex can they consent?

[UCUMAY]

There seems to be a lot of opinions on this, and lots of different thoughts. Some believe individuals below the legal consenting age cannot give consent (mind you I'm not talking about legal consent). I know it's different ages in different places but for this topic I'm using the typical age of 17 for the US.

I personally knew about sex around 11 and was in an adult body. That being said I could have consented because I understood the behavior, and all of it's possible consequences. I didn't and wouldn't have engaged in partner sex but that doesn't mean I couldn't have consented.

I understand this is an emotive topic but keep it cool and matter of fact. Whats your opinions about individuals below the legal age of consent being able to consent? Again I'm not asking about legal consent I'm asking about true agreement to the act.

[Hazvex]

There seems to be a lot of opinions on this, and lots of different thoughts. Some believe individuals below the legal consenting age cannot give consent (mind you I'm not talking about legal consent). I know it's different ages in different places but for this topic I'm using the typical age of 17 for the US.

I personally knew about sex around 11 and was in an adult body. That being said I could have consented because I understood the behavior, and all of it's possible consequences. I didn't and wouldn't have engaged in partner sex but that doesn't mean I couldn't have consented.

I understand this is an emotive topic but keep it cool and matter of fact. Whats your opinions about individuals below the legal age of consent being able to consent? Again I'm not asking about legal consent I'm asking about true agreement to the act.

No, by the very definition of being minor they cannot, you might have a debate on where that line should be, but that's a entirely different issue.

[UCUMAY]

There seems to be a lot of opinions on this, and lots of different thoughts. Some believe individuals below the legal consenting age cannot give consent (mind you I'm not talking about legal consent). I know it's different ages in different places but for this topic I'm using the typical age of 17 for the US.

I personally knew about sex around 11 and was in an adult body. That being said I could have consented because I understood the behavior, and all of it's possible consequences. I didn't and wouldn't have engaged in partner sex but that doesn't mean I couldn't have consented.

I understand this is an emotive topic but keep it cool and matter of fact. Whats your opinions about individuals below the legal age of consent being able to consent? Again I'm not asking about legal consent I'm asking about true agreement to the act.

No, by the very definition of being minor they cannot, you might have a debate on where that line should be, but that's a entirely different issue.

That's off topic. I'm not asking about legal consent.

[Nekronia]

Children are too immature and ignorant to be allowed to self govern.

[UCUMAY]

Children are too immature and ignorant to be allowed to self govern.

Fair enough we all are allowed our opinions. But we are our parents property until we turn 18.

[Georgism]

Some maybe, some can't.

[DaWoad]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent. One has neither an adult body nor an adult mind as a minor. Which is WHY minors are under their parents "control" and why they may not consent to certain things.

[UCUMAY]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent.

How do you defined informed consent?

PS I was educated and informed so I individually could have. I had amazing sex ed from my mom who's a nurse.

[Johz]

I reckon it depends. I've seen some people who could consent from their early teens, and who often did. However, I'm also of the opinion that at that sort of age, things like peer pressure can influence a person more than they think, and so consent becomes tricky. For a SexEd day, I once watched some crazy C4 video about some fictional girl, 13/14, who had sex because she thought her friends had, then later found out they hadn't. She was rather miffed, IIRC. But the point was that she had consented without understanding the full facts, despite knowing everything in a more technical sense.

But then I'm a Christian, therefore I believe I am technically discounted as an opinion in sex discussions?

[Hazvex]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent.

How do you defined informed consent?

PS I was educated and informed so I individually could have. I had amazing sex ed from my mom who's a nurse.

You can't make a law based entirely on a point by point evaluation, it's just not feasible.

[The Murtunian Tribes]

Umm...anyone who can say the word yes can technically give consent if were not talking about legal consent. I'm not sure I understand the point of this question.

[Rokartian States]

Is it possible? Yes. Is it plausible to allow consent on a case-by-case basis? No.

[Wiztopia]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent. One has neither an adult body nor an adult mind as a minor. Which is WHY minors are under their parents "control" and why they may not consent to certain things.

Right. Man those 16-17 year olds never know what they are doing. They must be too stupid.

[UCUMAY]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent. One has neither an adult body nor an adult mind as a minor. Which is WHY minors are under their parents "control" and why they may not consent to certain things.

This I can work with. I was in an adult body I had consistent regular periods since I was 11. I had the education. But you are right the mind is different age that age. But should you make slower individuals having sex illegal because they may not understand what they are doing?

[Eyolfbrann]

I think it's hard to give any general answer to this question. The line's gotta be drawn somewhere, as far as legal consent goes. As far as actual consent, I think it's very much case to case and just how young are they, if we're talking children under say, 12, no I don't think they can consent, if we're talking teenagers of 16 or even 15, yes, I think most are very much capable of consenting. But that won't be true for *all* kids at that age, just like not everybody over 17 will by definition be able to consent (mental illnesses etc) So, depends on the mental and emotional development, which makes it damn hard to place an age on when minors are able to consent.

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent.

depends on what you define as a child, tho right? if the legal age in the states is 17, lets assume that a 17 year old can give informed consent. How is a 16 year old any less able to do so, if they have for example only 2 months left until their birtday?

[Rokartian States]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent. One has neither an adult body nor an adult mind as a minor. Which is WHY minors are under their parents "control" and why they may not consent to certain things.

Right. Man those 16-17 year olds never know what they are doing. They must be too stupid.

When it comes to sex, generally speaking, yes.

[Hazvex]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent. One has neither an adult body nor an adult mind as a minor. Which is WHY minors are under their parents "control" and why they may not consent to certain things.

Right. Man those 16-17 year olds never know what they are doing. They must be too stupid.

never, no, generally? often? yes.

[UCUMAY]

Umm...anyone who can say the word yes can technically give consent if were not talking about legal consent. I'm not sure I understand the point of this question.

I'm asking if it's possible for a person to give informed consent below the age of consent.

[Wiztopia]

You're both wrong. Prove they can't consent to sex.

[DaWoad]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent.

How do you defined informed consent?

PS I was educated and informed so I individually could have. I had amazing sex ed from my mom who's a nurse.

I would define informed consent as consent in which the individual has both the mental capacity to make a decision and the, as far as possible, the information required to make it. A minor fails on the first, without a fully developed endocrine system and a not yet developed CNS, a child cannot given informed consent. It's not an insult nor a value judgment it's simply that a minor is not yet a full adult and cannot be expected to make adult decisions which can affect the rest of their lives.

[The Murtunian Tribes]

Umm...anyone who can say the word yes can technically give consent if were not talking about legal consent. I'm not sure I understand the point of this question.

I'm asking if it's possible for a person to give informed consent below the age of consent.

Anything is possible. It would depend a lot on what the age of consent is.

[Hazvex]

consent? sure. Informed consent? No. A child cannot give informed consent. One has neither an adult body nor an adult mind as a minor. Which is WHY minors are under their parents "control" and why they may not consent to certain things.

This I can work with. I was in an adult body I had consistent regular periods since I was 11. I had the education. But you are right the mind is different age that age. But should you make slower individuals having sex illegal because they may not understand what they are doing?

Personally, yes assuming their mentally deifciant enough.

[UCUMAY]

How do you defined informed consent?

PS I was educated and informed so I individually could have. I had amazing sex ed from my mom who's a nurse.

I would define informed consent as consent in which the individual has both the mental capacity to make a decision and the, as far as possible, the information required to make it. A minor fails on the first, without a fully developed endocrine system and a not yet developed CNS, a child cannot given informed consent. It's not an insult nor a value judgment it's simply that a minor is not yet a full adult and cannot be expected to make adult decisions.

Then we shouldn't have sex till 25 because that's how long it takes the brain to mature.

[UCUMAY]

You're both wrong. Prove they can't consent to sex.

I don't understand your point... I'm not talking about rape and that's the way it reads.

[DeusII]

The problem is it's not about having sex but it's about the potential consequences (in terms of a child) in doing so; which can happen regardless of whether you know that or not. You have to be old enough to be carry the burden on this.

I've no idea if that answers your question because it makes no bloody sense.